Prince of Slytherin
by Lord Cartwright
Summary: This is the rewritten and revamped story, to be the best. in this story, Harry is in Slytherin, is more colder and a lot more similar to Lord Voldemort than ever before. Will he fight for the Light, The Dark or himself and his own side? Harry will be with other girls but will eventually end up with Daphne Greengrass and no it will not be a Harry/multi-wives/girlfriends story.
1. Prologue Ten years later

_AN: Now then, this is going to be a revamped and rewritten version of my story, To be the absolute best. I shall leave the original up so readers may compare the two should they wish too. I find that I was unable to update the last story as it had not gone the way I had originally planned it to. For example, Harry was not as cold as I had wanted him to be for a few years; he accepted Daphne Greengrass and Tracy Davis way too quickly. And Harry is going to be in Slytherin as the title suggests._

_And for anyone wondering, yes I will still be still working on my other story, Harry's war. As I'm quite pleased with how that is going and the reviews I've been getting for that story are very encouraging, thanks for that. _

**Prologue**

Albus Dumbledore (Supreme Mugwump, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, Grand Sorcerer, defeater of the Dark Lord Gellert Grindelwald, Order of Merlin first class and Headmaster of Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry) appeared on the end of Privet drive in Surrey with an almost silent pop. As he looked around the quite, dark street bathed in the half moon light, he heaved a heavy sigh. All up and down the country, witches and Wizards were celebrating the fall of the most evil and powerful Dark Lord in Wizarding history, Lord Voldemort. As the leader and founder of the Order of the Phoenix, a group who were dedicated to fighting the Dark Lord and his followers head on in battle, one would expect him be out there celebrating the downfall of Voldemort. However, on this Halloween night, he could not bring himself to celebrate, as two of his all time favorite students and very dear friends had been murdered by Lord Voldemort not five hours ago and their happy bouncing baby boy had been left orphaned when the Dark Lord had turned his wand on the boy, only to find his killing curse rebounding upon him self, destroying his body and forcing his spirit to flee the home. Harry James Potter had not even reached his second birthday, yet before he did he would be famous the world over, known as the only survivor of killing curse, known as the Boy-Who-lived, the hero of the light and the Wizarding world.

And that was why he was here on the Muggle street, while everyone he knew celebrated Voldemort's downfall, Dumbledore was overseeing the transfer of Harry to his Aunt and Uncle's home and hopefully, loving care. While it was true in the fact that there were plenty of Wizarding families that would have been all to happy to raise young Harry in the Wizarding world, Albus felt it was best for Harry to grow up away from the fans, the fame and grow up as a normal child with a normal childhood, without been in the spotlight every time he left his home.

As he reached the bottom of number fours garden wall, he took a quick look round before he took a seat on the low wall. His trusted friend and gamekeeper at Hogwarts was bringing young Harry to his Aunts and Uncle's house, as it was not practical to take a one year old through the Floo-network or use the other transport methods of Apparition or Port-key travel.

"Fancy seeing you here, Professor McGonagall." Dumbledore spoke seemingly to himself as there was not another human being to be seen on the street, only a tabby cat sitting on number six's garden wall. A few moments later, said cat had jumped off the wall and transformed into a rather severe-looking woman mid-jump.

"How did you know it was me?" Asked the woman as she walked towards Dumbledore, fixing her square glasses and emerald green cloak to make sure they were on correctly.

"My dear Professor, I've never seen a cat sit so stiffly." Dumbledore answered with a slight soft chuckle as he turned his head slightly to look at McGonagall as she took a seat beside him.

"You'd be stiff if you'd been sitting on a brick wall for the last three hours." McGonagall replied tartly as she sniffed at the old wizard. "When word reached Hogwarts about tonight's attack, I knew this is you'd bring the boy." She said, explaining her reason for been in _that_ neighborhood on _that_ particular night.

"For four hours, when you could have been celebrating, why I must have passed over a dozen feasts and parties on my way here." Dumbledore mussed softly as he looked up at the empty dark sky; if one listened carefully, you could hear a very faint rumbling noise.

Professor McGonagall sniffed angrily. "Oh yes, everyone's celebrating all right, you'd think they'd be a bit more careful." She said impatiently, before the old wizard could comment she continued.

"People could be a little more careful; I heard it on their news." She jerked her head in the direction of the Dursleys dark living-room window. "Flocks of owls… Shooting stars… well, their not completely stupid, their bound to notice Shooting stars in Kent- and I'll bet that was Dedalus Diggle. He never did have much sense." Her nostrils flared in her anger and her lips thinned into a very tight line as she finished her little rant.

"You can't blame them Minerva, we've had precious little to celebrate in nearly twelve years." Dumbledore said gently. "It will die down soon, people are just celebrating the fact that hopefully there will be no more death and destruction happening." He explained in a gentle tone that seemed to deflate most of McGonagall's anger.

"I hope you're right." Began McGonagall. "The last thing we need is for the Muggle's to find out about us from people swapping rumors in broad daylight not even dressed as Muggle's." as she said this the Professor threw a sharp sideways look at Dumbledore.

"Are the rumors true? Did Harry really survive the Killing Curse?" McGonagall asked quietly with the slightest disbelief in her voice as she turned her head to look fully at the old wizard.

"Yes, Poppy confirmed it when we went to James and Lily's home." Answered Dumbledore sadly. "All three had been hit with the curse but only Harry survived." He bowed his head silently for the torn-apart family.

"How, how did he survive when no one in history has ever survived _that_ curse?" McGonagall asked in a soft voice, quite unlike the brisk and stern woman.

"As to that I have absolutely no clue." Dumbledore began in a quiet tone. "At first I thought it must have been Lily's love and sacrifice that had protected Harry and then I remembered that countless mother's and father's have sacrificed their lives to save their children and yet their children had not survived the killing curse from either Voldemort or his Death Eaters, I knew that that could not be the answer." His explanation finished he bowed his head once more, remembering all the lost fighters and innocents in the war against Lord Voldemort.

"Do you have any other theories?" McGonagall asked him quietly.

"A few, each more unlikely than the last." He began before looking up at McGonagall. "Perhaps we may never know how or why Harry survived the killing curse tonight." He mussed softly as McGonagall nodded her agreement of his words.

"Harry will be famous in our world won't he?" asked McGonagall, she would not be surprised if today become known as Harry Potter day in the future.

"Oh yes, Harry will be famous, a hero and a Legend, known the world over." Said Dumbledore in a quite, sad tone of voice. "

"And that is the reason why I am having him raised with his Muggle Aunt and Uncle. So he can grow up away from all that, famous before he can even walk and talk, it is enough to turn any one's head, he will be much better off away from all that." Dumbledore explained in that same quiet tone of voice as the faint rumbling had begun to grow louder.

"Are these people really the best you can find for him?" Said McGonagall disgustedly. "I've watched them since I arrived and they are the worst sort of Muggle's imaginable, they…"

"Are the only family he has." Replied Dumbledore, gently interrupting McGonagall. However before either He or McGonagall could speak further, the rumbling that had been growing steadily louder as they had talked suddenly became thunderingly loud; the pair could feel the rumbling in their very bones as their teeth began to chatter slightly until they closed their mouths as they looked up.

Out of the midnight black sky, a huge motorcycle dropped onto the street and came to a screeching halt in front of Number four's garden wall. Sat astride the motorbike was a huge man, who looked to be too big to be aloud. As the man stood from the bike, it was clear that he was twice as tall as a normal human man and three times as wide. The huge man had wild, bushy, tangled black hair and beard, when he removed the goggles from over his eyes; he revealed crinkly beetle-black eyes topped by very bushy eyebrows.

"Good evening Professor Dumbledore sir, Professor McGonagall." Greeted the large man as he got off the bike (which stood up on its own accord) and walked over to the now standing Professor's.

"Good evening Hagrid, no problems I hope." Dumbledore greeted the large man with a gentle smile. The headmaster was quiet tall standing a little over six foot; however, he was dwarfed by Hagrid's height.

"No sir, the little tyke fell asleep right as we were flying over Bristol." Hagrid replied in as quiet a voice as he could, so as not to wake the sleeping baby that was settled snuggly in a baby sling attached to his massive chest.

Dumbledore peered into the sling; just visible was a shock of untidy black hair and a forehead, which had a curiously shaped scar, in the shape of a lightening bolt. The scar was very raw and red, showing just how new it was.

"Is that where-?" Whispered McGonagall as she took notice of the scar.

"Yes, that is where the killing curse struck him." Said Dumbledore sadly as he too looked at the scar. "He'll have that scar forever." He sighed slightly as the boy moved his head slightly, burrowing deeper into Hagrid's chest.

"Couldn't you do something about it?"

"Even if I could I wouldn't, scars can come in useful. I myself have a scar above my left knee that is a perfect map of the London Underground." Dumbledore did not like lying to his oldest friend but he would rather lie then tell the true reason why, he wouldn't or rather couldn't remove the scar on Harry's head, and it wasn't just because it was a curse scar from Dark Magic.

"Well, pass him here Hagrid we may as well get this over with." Hagrid as gently as he could passed Harry into Dumbledore's arms, successfully not waking the baby as he did so. Dumbledore turned and began heading towards the front door of number four, followed by McGonagall and Hagrid.

"Could I – could I say goodbye to him?" Hagrid asked quietly as they reached the front door.

"Of course." Replied Dumbledore as he turned to the large man, some of his eye twinkle coming back into his eyes for the first time since he had found out about Voldemort's attack on the Potter's.

Hagrid then bent his great shaggy head over Harry and gave him a very scratchy, whiskery yet surprisingly tender kiss. "Take care of yourself Harry." He whispered before moving away chocking back a loud sob.

"Good luck Harry Potter." Dumbledore said after he had placed the bundle on the doorstep along with a letter. "Minerva, perhaps you could assist me in placing some wards around them home and garden." He requested, with two of them putting up wards, they would be far stronger and harder for any one wishing to break them down. Hopefully they would be enough to protect Harry and his family in the unlikely event that Death Eaters managed to track him down. Both professors placed warning alarms that would alert them of any one trying to forcefully take down the wards, giving them ample time to respond and aid the little family.

_Ten years later_

Over the next ten years, Harry was not treated with the love that Dumbledore had hoped and wanted, But with disdain, Loathing and hatred. From the moment he had arrived, he lived in the cupboard under the stairs and until he started eating solids, he was only fed two bottles of very weak milk a day, and when he started eating solids he was fed two meals a day. A small lumpy bowl of porridge in the mornings and small portion of dinner, for lunch he received one slice of dry toast and a glass of water. When he turned four, he was forced to do all the cleaning in the house, everyday and if he missed a spot or a room was not to his Aunt's or Uncle's standards, he would be slapped by either his aunt or uncle before been thrown in his cupboard with no food until the next day. On his fifth birthday, he was forced to do all the gardening along with all the chores around the house, and god forbid if he damaged any of his aunts precious plants. As he got older, the beatings steadily got worse, when he was six his uncle had hit him so hard that he had bounced off the wall before hitting the ground with a concussion before been thrown in his cupboard for three whole days without food or water.

Harry learned very early on too hide his emotions; if he cried during a beating it only made it worse; if he scowled or looked at any of them in a wrong way he was slapped; he was even slapped for smiling as his Aunt and Uncle proclaimed that he could only be up to no good when he was smiling. Yes, Harry Potter learned very early in his life to keep a blank, cold mask on his face wherever he went or whoever he was around be it _family_, teacher or stranger, Harry's face was a cold blank mask with icy eyes.

He learned also very early on in his schooling, that he would get a severe beating no matter what his grades were like. For example, he had scored the best in his year in a math's test and when his aunt had found out, she had hit him with a frying pan she had been holding at the time, screaming it was all his fault that her precious Dudley received such low marks. That had resulted in his right arm been broken in two places which did not heal for months forcing him to write with his left arm, after a few weeks he had perfected his writing with his left arm and as a result he was now Ambidextrous.

Another example of his schooling beatings had been his uncle beating him after finding out he had done the worst in his year in an English test. After the broken arm from his Aunt, Harry had thought that they did not want him to do well and so to stop some of the beatings, he had deliberately flunked his English test. His uncle had taken his belt to Harry's bare back, for over fives minutes, all the while screaming about how stupid and worthless he was. After that he had realized that they did not truly care about his grades, they were just another excuse for giving him another beating. And so he had begun to study as hard as he could while at school, using the library as a sort of safe haven from his bullying cousin and his gang of thugs; by the time he was eight, his teachers wanted to bump him up to the year ahead; however Harry had been able to talk them out of that as it would result in nothing but trouble with the Dursleys.

However, as well as been cold and emotionless, Harry was also a very charming boy when he wanted to be. He had managed to charm his teachers into giving him his monthly report cards, promising up and down that his Aunt and uncle would receive them as soon as he arrived home, he happily binned the cards as he walked home. He had also charmed his teachers into giving him the letters about parents' evenings, stating that the letters would reach his Aunt and Uncle faster if he delivered them in person which gave the Dursleys time to make sure they were completely free that evening. The letters too were dropped into a bin and after parents evening had come and gone and the Dursleys had not attended, Harry always had the perfect excuse. His uncle had a very important dinner or party of his company's that he simply could not miss. Or a family member was terribly sick or the best, Dudley in his rush had taken a nasty fall and they all went to hospital with him. His teachers never batted an eyelash as he explained with a completely honest look and air about him, promising that the Dursleys very sorry for missing another evening and that they had promised to attend the next parents' evening; they never did nor would they ever attend one. The best part about it was Harry and Dudley had different teachers so when the Dursleys attended Dudley's parent evening, they never bumped into Harry's teachers.

However it was not all bad, excluding the one meal a day and beatings, Harry was able to get some small payback on his Aunt, Uncle and Cousin. Once a week, starting from when he was six, he would steal forty pounds from his uncle's permanently bulging wallet that he left in the living room, thinking Harry would be too scared to steal anything from him. He also stole twenty pounds from his Aunts also permanently bulging purse that she left in the kitchen and ten pounds from his fat-ass Cousin who left his wallet beside the television where he could always find it the next day. Everyday, Harry would walk to school and buy himself a sandwich for his lunch, a chocolate bar, a pack of crisps and a can of pop. He would always save the rest of the money he did not spend on his lunch or food at the weekends and trips to the local cinema as well as the amusement and water parks; so by the time he reached ten years old, Harry had managed to save over three hundred pounds. Which he hid in an old sock after changing the coins into notes. He had no fear of anyone finding them as only he cleaned his cupboard.

As well as stealing money from his family, Harry would steal some food at night when his relatives were asleep in bed, only been unable to steal food when he was beaten and locked in his cupboard. Most of the time when he was not beaten, his cupboard would be left unlocked so he could use the toilet in the cellar and mainly so he could have breakfast ready for them in the mornings when they came down to the kitchen. So instead of been an undernourished, boy, Harry was quite the healthy young boy. As along with the running from his cousin and his gang of thugs during "_Harry Hunting_" he would sneak out and go for a run every morning before he had to start breakfast, where he usually made himself bacon and sausage buttie's before his "_family_" came down for breakfast, munching away as he cooked. As he turned nine, Harry started doing press-ups and sit-ups, he only did twenty of each a day but it was better than any of the other students at his school. Moreover, when his cousin became interested in boxing halfway through his ninth year of living with the Dursleys and his uncle got him a small set of weights; Harry would use them every morning. As he reached ten years old, Harry was quite tall for his age at four foot six, and weighing around eighty pounds. His shoulders and chest were quite broad, most if not all of his muscles were solid (Though not too big to be noticed) with not an ounce of fat on him. The old and worn baggy clothes that he wore helped to hide his well toned body as well. He knew it was very unusual for some his age to have such a toned and fit body but he had one passion, to better than the Dursley men, never would he allow himself to become so fat and lazy.

On his eleventh birthday, Harry was just finishing up vacuuming the staircase for the third time that week when a loud knocking sounded at the door.

"Boy, answer the door and if it's a salesman or charity tell them to clear off." Vernon Shouted from his seat in front of the television, it was one of the fat man's rare weekdays off.

Harry opened the door without replying to his uncle. On the threshold he found a rather severe-looking woman dressed in a peculiar outfit. She was wearing a jet-black cloak over forest green robes; on her head was a pointed witch's hat. On her lined face were square glasses and she had styled her black, graying hair into a tight bun.

"Hello Madam, how may I help you?" Harry asked in a cool flat voice, hardly blinking at the woman's attire.

"Good morning, might you be Harry Potter." McGonagall asked as she held back a scowl at Harry's overlarge t-shirt and jeans and the sello-taped glasses.

"Before I confirm or deny that Madam, who might be asking." Harry asked in cold defensive voice. He was ready to bolt should the woman be from the "loony-bin" as the Dursleys called it and had threatened Harry with, stating he would be locked up in a padded room and the key thrown away.

"I'm Professor McGonagall and I work at Hogwarts School." Answered McGonagall in a gentle tone noting Harry's suddenly defensive voice and his stance, that quiet clearly said he was prepared to run if need be.

"Ok goody for you, what is it that you want with Harry Potter?" Harry asked still not confirming that he was Harry Potter or not.

"I have come to offer him a place at Hogwarts School." McGonagall replied, she was quiet sure that the young boy in front of her was Harry Potter.

"Well you best come in then." Harry said as he stood back to allow the woman entry into the house.

"Thank you." McGonagall nodded as she stepped into the, in her opinion far too clean hallway.

"Who is it?" Petunia demanded from the living-room.

"Some Professor or so she claims." Harry answered coolly as he led the woman into the living-room. He was very surprised when his Aunt and Uncle gasped at the sight of her, both turning quiet pale.

"What do you want?" Petunia asked in a fearful voice though she already knew the answer.

"A private talk with Mr. Potter here." Answered McGonagall as she gestured to a surprised Harry. Vernon and Petunia were about to protest loudly, however McGonagall had slipped her wand into her hand and the Dursleys left muttering to themselves, they did not want to be on the wrong end of a wand nor the Professor judging by the burning look she gave them

"Here Mr. Potter." McGonagall held out a letter to Harry once the Dursleys had left and she had turned her attention back to the blank-faced Harry. After a moment's hesitation, Harry took the parchment letter and upon opening it, began to read.

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._

_Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Minerva McGonagall_

_Deputy Headmistress_

Turning to the second page Harry began to read that one silently, paying no mind to the woman who had seated herself in Vernon's chair and was watching his expression as he stood reading. She expected confusion, shock, out right denial or any other range of emotions to appear over Harry's face, however, his expression remained blank.

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL_

_Of WHICHCRAFT and WIZARDRY_

_UNIFORM_

_First-year students will require:_

_1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)_

_2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear_

_3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)_

_4. One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)_

_Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags._

_COURSE BOOKS_

_All students should have a copy of each of the following:_

_The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)_

_By Miranda Goshawk_

_A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot_

_Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling_

_A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch_

_One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi_

_By Phyllida Spore_

_Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger_

_Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_

_By Newt Scamander_

_The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection_

_By Quentin Trimble_

_OTHER EQUIPMENT_

_1 wand_

_1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)_

_1 set glass or crystal phials_

_1 telescope_

_1 set brass scales_

_Students may also bring and owl OR a cat OR a toad._

_PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS_

"I knew that I was special and not a freak." Harry whispered to himself as he finished reading.

"So I'm a wizard then?" he asked as he looked up at the Professor who was looking back at him, clearly not expecting him to ask that first.

"Yes Mr. Potter, you are indeed a Wizard." McGonagall then went on to explain that wizards were hidden from the (Muggle) none magical world. She explained a little bit about Hogwarts and the houses there. She was very surprised that Harry accepted all this without wanting demonstration as proof that what she was telling him was the truth.

"Ok Potter, that's enough for now there will be time for questions later." McGonagall said an hour later even though Harry had asked only three questions. "I shall escort you to Diagon Alley where you will Purchase…" she stopped mid explanation as Harry interrupted her.

"You're coming with me?" Harry interrupted with a slight scowl.

"Certainly…" She was interrupted once more.

"I don't need you." Said Harry. "I'm used to doing things on my own; I go around little Whinging and Surrey on my own all the time. How do you get to this Diagon Alley – Madam?" he added the last almost as an afterthought to appear polite.

For a moment Professor McGonagall was going to insist she accompany Harry to the Alley way but taking one look at his face she knew he would not budge in his decision to make the trip alone and would most likely be most difficult if she forced him to go with her. After a moment she told him exactly how to get to the Leaky Cauldron. "You will be able to see it, although Muggle's that is none Magicals around you will not. Ask for Tom the barman and he will help you get through the archway into Diagon Alley."

Harry nodded his head as she finished her explanation. Then, as though he could not suppress the question, as though it burst from him in spite of himself, he asked. "Were my parents Magical too?"

"Yes you're mother and father was both a Magicals." McGonagall replied her voice once more gentle.

"Then how did they die in a car crash then." Harry demanded to know in a cold tone. "If they were wizards, why did they not save themselves from the car crash?" his tone and eyes both demanded the absolute truth be answered quickly.

"Car Crash?" McGonagall asked raising her eyebrows at both Harry's question and tone of voice.

"I was told that's how they died by them." He jabbed his thumb towards the door the Dursleys had left through when McGonagall first arrived.

"James and Lily Potter were not killed in a car crash; they were murdered by the Dark Lord, He-Who-Must-Not-be-Named." McGonagall was incensed to learn that Harry did not even know how his own parents died. For one fleeting moment, Harry's face was a mask of hate and anger, his eyes burned with an emerald fire but in the blink of an eye his emotionless mask was firmly in place and his eyes once more icy. McGonagall blinked, unsure if Harry's facial expression had even changed at all or if she had imagined the hate and anger.

"So – when I've got all my stuff – when do I come to this Hogwarts?" Harry asked completely changing the subject.

"All the details are on the second piece of parchment." McGonagall began. "You will leave from Kingscross station on the first of September. There is a ticket in there too, with instructions on how to get onto the platform." She then handed him a tiny gold key, explaining how it was the key to his trust vault and how he should first visit Gringotts the wizard bank first upon arrival at the Alley. She explained how the bank was the tallest building, made from white stone at the end of the Ally and how it would take a blind man to miss it.

Harry nodded. McGonagall got to her feet and held out her hand to Harry, who after a moment shook it firmly. "I can talk to snakes, I found out last year when weeding the garden, they find me and talk to me, is that normal for a wizard?"

McGonagall knew that, Harry had withheld mention of that strange power until that moment, determined to impress. "It is unusual." She responded after a moment forcing her self not to grow pale at the mention of talking to snakes. "But not unheard of." One two wizards in history had had that ability; Salazar Slytherin and Tom Riddle aka Lord Voldemort, both very Dark Lords in their time. Was Harry Potter destined to be a Dark Lord also?

End of chapter

AN: _So how was it? Please give you thoughts on how/if this start and title is better or worse then the first story. And yes I, most of Harry's talk with McGonagall was ripped right from the Tom Riddle and Albus Dumbledore scene in the HBP book; this is because I want to make Harry and Voldemort even more similar than in cannon. Also I didn't have the Dursleys kick up a stink about McGonagall because I just wanted to get on with Harry being told about being a wizard. _


	2. Diagon Alley

_AN: chapter two of this rewritten and revamped story.__ Thanks for the reviews. I own nothing but the plot, the rest is J.K.R's…_

**Diagon Alley **

Two hours after McGonagall had left Privet Drive, found Harry walking down the cobblestone Alley. Harry had called into a Muggle clothes shop before entering the leaky cauldron and bought himself a pair of black jeans, a black t-shirt and a black turtle neck light-weight jumper and black trainers, using the money he had stolen over the years from his _family_. As he looked around, Harry spotted a cauldron shop, next to that was the Apothecary potion store. Further, down he saw a Daily Prophet offices, he assumed that was some kind of newspaper printing company or some such, the name sure sounded like that to Harry. Everywhere he looked, there were different shops, from Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor to Flourish & Blotts book store, and from Gambol & Japes joke shop to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. He spotted the huge white building McGonagall had described and headed towards it, still looking round at all the various shops and the people bustling from place to place.

As he reached the bottom of the stairs leading up to the front doors of the bank he nodded to the creatures that were bowing him inside; completely missing their surprised looks at his show of respect to them. As he walked through the second set of doors, silver this time Harry nodded to two more creatures bowing him inside and completely ignored the message written upon one of the doors. Looking around the vast marble hall, Harry could not help but be impressed with the splendor, black and white marble square tiles on the floor, light marble walls and a huge long counter where about a hundred more of the strange creatures were stood behind it counting strange gold coins, precious gems and other things. Walking up to a free teller, he stood quietly, respectfully waiting to be acknowledged.

"What can I help you with?" The creature asked him some short time later finally acknowledging him.

"I'd like to make a withdrawal from my vault please." Harry replied in cool polite tone.

"And do you have your key?" The creature asked as he looked down at Harry showing way too many pointy teeth in Harry's opinion.

"I'd look a fool if I didn't." Harry smoothly stated as he slid the key over the counter.

"Indeed." Agreed the creature as he picked up the key to examine closely.

"Pardon the rudeness and I mean no disrespect to yourself, but I was raised by Muggle's and was wondering what type of creature you are?" Harry asked in as polite a tone of voice as he could to try and convey that he meant no disrespect.

"I, like my coworkers are from a race known in the Wizarding world as Goblins." Replied the Goblin before he passed the key back to Harry. "That's all in order Mr. Potter." He then called over his shoulder in a language Harry could not understand before another Goblin came over and motioned for Harry to follow him, which he did after retrieving his vault key.

After what could only be described as a crazy cart ride deep under ground, the cart stopped in front of vault 687. Harry followed the Goblin (who had not even introduced himself) out of the car and towards the huge vault door, with the name Potter written above it in large gold letters.

"Key please." The Goblin held out his long fingered hand. He then unlocked and opened the vault door after Harry had passed him the key. As the door swung open, a large amount of green mist came billowing out. As he looked inside the vault, Harry nearly gasped aloud at the sight of all the gold within, however he managed to keep his emotions in check. From floor to ceiling, the vault was piled with gold coins. Picking up a piece of yellowing parchment, Harry read.

_Trust vault for Harry James Potter._

_100'000 galleons_

_50'000 sickles _

_20'000 Knuts_

_To be capped off yearly, Harry's school tuition is to come out of this vault also. _

"Do I own any other vaults?" Harry asked the Goblin as he read the "to be capped off yearly."

"Of course, you also own the Potter family vault, however you can not take money out of that vault until you reach the age of fifteen, as per stated in your parents will." Replied the Goblin in a neutral tone of voice, wanting to see what kind of mind Harry had.

"I noticed you said nothing about taking out anything else that might be in the vault." Harry commented to the Goblin with a slight smirk on his face.

"Indeed Mr. Potter, shall we visit your family vault after you have removed some money from this one?" The Goblin asked returning Harry's smirk and handing him a bottomless and weightless money pouch.

"Of course, thank you master Goblin." Replied Harry as he turned back to his vault and began filling the pouch, completely missing the Goblin's look of surprise at the show of respect.

After he had pilled, what he felt was enough money into the bag Harry left the vault and the Goblin locked the door before handing Harry the key back. They both jumped back into the cart, which set off for an even longer, crazier ride. Finally the cart screeched to a halt in front of a vault marked number, 05.

"Your family is the oldest living family in Wizarding world, fifth only to the four founders of Hogwarts family which all but one member has died." The Goblin commented in a seemingly offhanded way, as the two stepped out of the cart and approached the door.

"There is no key hole, how do I enter?" Harry asked after looking the vault door over and not spotting anywhere a key could be inserted.

"A drop of your blood and Goblin magic is required to enter this vault." The Goblin then had Harry place his hand in the dead centre of door, while he ran a long finger from the bottom of Harry's hand all the way down to the very bottom of the vault door. For a few seconds nothing seemed to happen; and then suddenly there was a brilliant flash of magic before the door squeaked open slowly.

"What would happen if anyone but a Potter or a Goblin tried to enter?" Harry asked as he watched the tiny pinprick on his palm heal it's self.

"They would be sucked inside and left there until one of us Goblin's checked for any intruders." The Goblin answered with a feral grin as the door finally swung fully open to reveal its full contents.

"Bloody hell fire." Harry gasped in shock unable to reframe himself from doing so as he saw the enormous pile of gold coins. "H-how much…?"

"Let's see." Muttered the Goblin as he picked up a yellowing scroll of parchment and a leather black folder. "At last count, this was yesterday; your vault contains just over two hundred and fifty million galleons."

"How in the hell did my family get to be so rich?" Harry asked after a full five minutes in which he just stared into the vault.

"You must remember that your family is dated back until before Hogwarts was built over a thousand years ago, this is a very long time for them to build up a lot of wealth and interest." Harry nodded numbly as he walked slowly into the vault and began looking around.  
>As he reached the back of the vault he found a letter with his name on it, he picked it up thinking and secretly hoping it was a letter to him from his parents. After opening the letter he was very, surprised as he read the contents.<p>

_"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches ... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies ... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not ... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives ... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies ..."_

"_Hi Harry, it your mum here. I'm sorry to have to inform you, but you are destined to kill or be killed by the Dark Lord Voldemort. But don't let this Prophecy rule your life, Harry. You must enjoy your life, make friends, date girls and most importantly, have fun." _

_Harry, it's your father; my piece of advice is different from your mothers, while it want your to have fun, prank people and woo the girls, I also want you to take care and train for your eventual battle with Voldemort. "Oh and if you have the time, prank Snape and tell him it was for old times sake, from Prongs." _

_Love always,_

_James and Lily Potter-nee Evans. _

For a half an hour, Harry sat in a dustsheet covered chair, digesting the fact that he had only just put on foot into the Wizarding world and yet he was destined to battle some Dark Lord Voldemort. After a while he came to accept that that was just another part of his life and that if he was to battle this Dark Lord, who was undoubtedly very powerful and skilled. Then he, Harry Potter, would have to become very powerful and skilled also.

"Sod pranks and girls, I've got a Dark Lord to prepare for." He muttered to himself as he stood up and began searching the vault for anything that might help him with that.

He found a full trunk worth of books on magic that he decided he was going to begin learning from, such as. _A beginners guide to Ancient Runes, Charms for beginners, an introduction into Defense Against the Dark Arts, Potions, how they work and guide to becoming a beginner. _There were ten books on potions from the guide to becoming a beginner to becoming a master. There were also all the books to becoming a master in DADA, Charms and Ancient Runes; there was also a series of books on Transfiguration and the mind arts and finding your magical centre. For over an hour, Harry searched the vault for books to help become a master in magic, he also searched for wands but no such luck.

_Headmasters' office, Hogwarts._

Albus Dumbledore sat behind his desk in his office at Hogwarts, he was currently going over files and papers, making sure that everything was in order for the new school year, that was just over a month away. He was therefore, very surprised when the wards on the staircase leading up to his office alerted him to Professor McGonagall's approach, as he glanced at the grandfather cloak opposite his desk, he frowned, McGonagall should have still been shopping with young Harry Potter for a few more hours yet.

"Come in Minerva." He called before McGonagall could even knock on his door. The door opened to reveal a quiet pale McGonagall.

"Is everything alright my dear?" Dumbledore asked as he shifted papers aside while motioning the Professor into an empty chair in front of his desk.

"Define alright." McGonagall muttered as she dropped almost bonelessly into a chair which was very unlike her. "I've just come back from informing Harry Potter about Hogwarts and his acceptance here." Her voice seemed to tremble slightly as she spoke.

"Is young Harry alright?" Dumbledore asked gently but with slight worry in his voice, wondering just what could have caused this change in behavior in his strict instructor.

"I think you should get your pensive and judge for yourself." McGonagall muttered in a tired sounding voice. "It is hard to put into words my meeting with young Harry."

The Headmaster nodded his head in agreement as he stood from his chair and quickly strode to the cabinet containing his pensive, now very worried about what he might see. Once McGonagall had placed her memory into the device he dived in to watch. When he emerged some time later, McGonagall was worried to note that he was very pale, sweaty and his hands seemed to tremble as he slid bonelessly into his chair, staring blankly at the desk.

"It was almost like watching my own memory." Dumbledore muttered as he began pulling his wits together again. "The meeting you just had was almost exactly how my first meeting with Tom Riddle went when I first informed him about being a wizard, right down to informing you about being able to talk to snakes just before you left."

"Did he also want to shop for his school supplies alone?" McGonagall knew just who Tom Riddle grew up to be, they were sorted into their houses in the same year after-all.

"He did." Dumbledore answered as he stood from his chair. "I must show this memory and mine to Severus, we can't afford to antagonize Harry Potter, if we do, we could have a Dark Lord on ours hands far more terrible than Voldemort and Grindlewald put together." McGonagall gasped aloud at those words as Dumbledore called Potions master Severus Snape into his office via the Floo-network.

"You wished to see me Headmaster?" Snape asked in his silky smooth voice after he had stepped through the fireplace. Snape was a tall, thin man with sallow skin, a large, hooked nose, his jet-black hair was greasy-looking and reached his shoulders and framed his face, his jet-black eyes were cold and reminded one of tunnels.

"Yes Severus I wished to show you two memories and have a little chat if you don't mind." Dumbledore commented as he placed a memory from his own head into the pensive and motioned for Snape to enter.

"Very well Headmaster." Snape may have been a cold hearted bastard but he trusted Dumbledore with his life and that was why he entered the pensive without question. He emerged sometime later even paler than he normally was.

"That first memory was of the Dark Lord as a boy wasn't it." Snape commented as he took a seat next to McGonagall. "And the second was of Harry Potter." He seemed to deflate as the Headmaster nodded his head confirming his worst fear. He had been expecting the young Potter to arrive at Hogwarts an arrogant, pampered prince just like his father. He had been gearing up to knocking the boy down a few pegs and instead he was faced with possibly of yet _another_ Dark Lord.

"What do you want me to do Headmaster?" He asked finally looking back up at the old wizard.

"I want you and all the other heads of house to keep a very close eye on Harry Potter." Dumbledore replied. "Harry must not be antagonized enough to turn to the Dark Arts, he must see that the "Light-side" is the better path to walk." Both McGonagall and Snape nodded, the later had not expected Harry Potter to end up in his house, but now after watching those memories, even he had to admit that Harry Potter was the Perfect candidate to be a Slytherin.

_Diagon_ _A_lley,

One of Albus Dumbledore's worst fears had already happened as Harry Potter had just purchased a selection of books on the Dark Arts, in a bookstore in Borgin and Burkes. Harry wanted too learn anything and everything he could about this new world of magic he was entering. And not to mention, if he was to battle a Dark Lord in the future, then he would need more than just Defense against the Dark Arts, he would also need the Dark Arts themselves, so he could fight fire with fire. In Harry's mind, the more magic he knew, the more powerful he would become.

"One day soon, I'll be known as the greatest Sorcerer in the world." He muttered to himself with a smirk before he entered the robe shop, Madam Malkin's and he adopted his blank mask once more.

"Hogwarts dear?" asked a gray haired woman who had come out from the back room upon hearing the shop bell ring.

"Yes Ma'am." Harry answered with a short bow of his head before he followed the woman into the back room at her motioning him too. As he entered the back room he noticed a blonde haired boy with a pale, slightly pointed face stood on a stool and also stood upon a stool was a short, slender, black haired girl. She had sparkling violet eyes and a slight smile on her lips as though she had her own private joke about something.

"Hullo." Said the boy "Hogwarts too?" he asked Harry as he was directed to step onto a stool in-between the boy and girl.

"What gave it away?" Harry asked in a sarcastic voice, causing the girl beside him to giggle.

"Father's next door buying my books." Continued the boy obviously not understanding Harry's sarcastic tone. "And mother's up the street looking at wands." The boy had a drawling voice that was quickly getting on Harry's nerves. "Once I'm done here, I think I'll drag them up to the Quidditch shop to look at racing brooms."

"Well, the very best of luck to you with that then." Harry sarcastically replied to the boy who still did not seam to understand Harry's tone.

"I think I will bully father into buying me a broom and I'll smuggle it in somehow." The boy went on.

"He must be a wuss if a twerp like you can bully him." Harry said to him, however, the blonde wasn't paying any attention to what Harry said as he continued talking.

"Do you play Quidditch?" the blonde asked even as the girl next to Harry was dying not to laugh aloud.

"Yeah on a unicorn." Was Harry's sarcastic reply causing the girl to snort in laughter.

"Know what house you'll be sorted into?" the boy continued.

"Humpty Dumpty's." was Harry's falsely bright reply as the girl beside him burst out laughing and the shop assistants measuring and adjusting their robes giggled, Harry by now had a full blown smirk on his face.

"Well no-one really knows until we get there, but I'll be in Slytherin since my entire family has been there for hundreds of years." The boy seemed oblivious to the fact that everyone was laughing at him.

"Not with an IQ less than a worms you won't." The girl and the shop assistants laughed once more at Harry's words to the idiot boy.

"There you're all done." Giggled a shop assistant to the boy.

"I am so going to enjoy tormenting the shit out of him for seven years." Harry said seemingly to himself as the girl broke about laughing again.

"What material would you like for your robes, Nylon, Cotton or Silk?" Malkin asked Harry once the blonde boy had left.

"Silk Ma'am." Harry replied in a respectful tone his blank mask slipping back into place once more.

"What type of silk?"

"The best you have, Ma'am." Answered Harry who did not know there were different types, so went for the best. After he had been measured, Harry asked for everyday robes in blacks, dark silver, dark reds and two in dark almost black purples, he also ordered two dress robes, one black, and one dark green. Malkin told him his purchases would be ready in three hours, so Harry left the shop and headed off to do the rest of his shopping. At the potions store he purchased his ingredients, veils and stirring rods. At the cauldron shop, he bought the very best cauldrons on sale. At the Eeylops Owl Emporium, he purchased a snowy white, amber-eyed owl that he would pick up after he had finished with his shopping and was ready to head home. At the stationery store, he purchased enough ink, quills, and parchment to last over a year so he could have some to practice on before heading to Hogwarts. At the trunk store he bought a four compartment trunk, that the shop owner keyed him into, meaning that only he could open it or move it, if someone who was not the owner or keyed into the trunks wards tried to open or move it, they would receive a shock and be thrown three feet away.

As he finished buying his schoolbooks in Flourish & Blotts, he decided to ask the owner for more books for people like him.

"What books would you recommend for someone just entering the Wizarding world?" Harry asked the owner.

"I'll be right back with the best books for guidance when entering the Wizarding world." Smiled the owner before he came out from behind the counter and began browsing the shelves. Ten minutes later, he returned with a stack of books.

"First we have _an introduction into the world of wizardry_, next we have _Hogwarts classes explained_, next _Hogwarts A. history and Wizarding history_, _the Ministry of Magic and their laws, magical races and finally we have a beginners guide to Wizarding sports and games_." The owner explained each book as he showed them to Harry.

"Perfect sir, I'll take them all." Harry gave the same charming smile to the old shop-keeper that he had given to every other shop-keeper he had purchased from today.

"If you'd like I could shrink down your trunk after you've placed your books inside making them much more manageable." Offered the shop-keeper kindly.

"Thank you sir, that is most kind and very welcome." Harry watched with a slightly greedy expression as the shop-keeper shrunk his trunk after he's placed his books inside.

After leaving the store, Harry made his way over to Ollivander's wand shop. As he entered, he noticed the shop was narrow, shabby and quite dusty, with shelves filled to the brim with long, thin boxes.

"Shop." Harry called when he noticed that there was nobody behind the counter.

"Ah, I wondered when I would be seeing you in here Mr. Potter." Said a white haired, silvery-eyed old man as he came out from the backroom. "You look so like your father when he first stepped into my shop, but you have your mother's eyes."

"It seams only yesterday that they were in here buying their first wands." Commented the old man whom Harry presumed was Ollivander. "Your mother favored a ten and a quarter inches, long, swishy, made of willow wand; an excellent wand for charms work." He continued talking after a short pause.

"Your father, on the other hand, favored a mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration." He then continued his voice growing softer with each word he spoke.

"It's really the wand that chooses the wizard, of course." Ollivander continued as he came round the counter and walked closer to Harry. "And that's where…"

He touched a long, white finger to the lightning bolt scar on Harry's forehead, even though the scar was very well hidden under Harry's long black hair "I'm sorry to say I sold the wand that did it." He said softly. "Thirteen and a half inches. Yew. Powerful wand, very powerful, and in the wrong hands… well if I'd known what that wand was going out into the world to do…" he shook his head as he removed a tape measure from his robe pocket and set it to measuring Harry. "Which is your wand arm?"

"I'm Ambidextrous sir." Harry answered his expression not changing even through Ollivander's talk about his parents or the wand that had given him his lightening bolt scar.

Ollivander nodded before he continued speaking. "Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance, Mr. Potter. We use Unicorn hairs, Phoenix tail feathers and the heartstrings of Dragons. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two Unicorns, Dragons or Phoenixes are quite the same. And of course you will never get such good results with another wizard's wand." He then went back into the backroom for a few moments before he returned carrying an armful of long, slender boxes.

"That will do." He said and the tape measure crumbled into a heap on the floor as Ollivander opened the boxes. "Right then, Mr. Potter. Try this one. Beechwood and Dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible, Just take it and give it a wave."

Harry took the wand and gave it a wave, but Ollivander snatched it back muttering "no, no." before he passed him another wand. "Maple and Phoenix feather." However, that too was snatched back. Wand after wand was snatched back from him. Harry was getting more and more frustrated, while Ollivander seemed to get more and more excited.

"Tricky customer eh." Ollivander beamed. "I wonder." He whispered before going into the backroom, returning minutes later holding a very dusty box. "Holly and Phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple, perfect for all types of magic. Unusual combination." He passed Harry the wand.

Harry waved the wand but that too was snatched from his hand and for once Ollivander seemed surprised that the wand did not match with Harry.

"Well I have a very special wand that may choose you." Ollivander muttered as he once more vanished into his back room for a full two minutes before he returned carrying a very dusty and warn box. "This wand is perhaps the most unusual and most powerful wand I have ever come into possession of." He was whispering now as he removed the lid from the box.

"15 inches in length, made from two different woods, Elder and Holly, with two different wand cores, Thestral tail hair and Dragon heartstring, unyielding and very powerful, excellent for all types of magic." Ollivander explained in a whisper as he passed the long, dark brown wand to Harry.

As soon as Harry's fingers wrapped around the wand he felt an intoxicating rush of power run throughout his entire body. His whole body seemed to be surrounded in power as a strong wind began rushing around him, for a full minute Ollivander watched this spectacle as Harry glowed with never before seen power, not with any eleven year old he had seen anyway, maybe the Dark Lord and Albus Dumbledore when they were at the heights of their power but never on one so young.

"Who owned this wand originally?" Harry asked once the power rush had finished. He had noticed that Ollivander said came into possession of, meaning he did not make it himself.

"That wand believe it or not was the original wand Phineas Nigellus Black." Ollivander answered in a whisper. "He was a Headmaster of Hogwarts; the Black family is distantly related to the Slytherin and Potter families, he had the wand custom made for himself when he was unable to find one of my father's wands that suited him." He explained to an apparently unimpressed Harry Potter

"How much?" Harry asked seemingly not caring about the family ties of his wands' original owner. However he was very excited to have been chosen by such an obviously powerful wand.

"Thirty five galleons." Ollivander wondered if Harry would be willing to pay such a high price for a wand and was mildly surprised when he did not even blink as he handed the money over; the boy either really wanted the wand and did not care how much it cost or he already knew how wealthy he was and therefore saw thirty five galleons as nothing.

After paying for his wand, purchasing, an Auror standard wrist holster Harry left the shop and made his way to the Leaky Cauldron, were he had a quick lunch of egg and chips and a glass of orange juice, Harry made his way out into Muggle London and into a huge shopping centre.

Using the money he had stolen from his family he purchased a whole new wardrobe; he bought four pairs of jeans in black, six t-shirts all black, five turtle neck jumpers all black. In fact every item of clothing he bought was black except for the white shirt of the suit that he bought, he only bought the suit on a whim and just in case as you never know what the future may hold and he might one day find himself in need of a suit. He also bought himself a light weight summer jacket and also a winter coat. He also bought two pairs of trainers, a pair of steal toe-cap boots and a pair of dress shoes to go with his suit. Once he had bought an assortment of boxers and socks, he left the shop and went into Specsavers, where he had his first eye-test in six years and he got a new prescription and a pair of black framed, square glasses, the optician had advised him to wait a year until his eyes adjusted to the new prescription before he began wearing contact lenses.

Once finished buying his new glasses Harry entered a jewelry store and purchased his first ever watch along with a matching bracelet and a necklace, all silver. After that he visited a hairdresser and had his hair tidied up a bit and also had the woman curl his hair at the tips just to be different. Once finished he made his way back to Diagon Alley and picked up his robes and Owl before making his way back to the Leaky Cauldron were he had his dinner and found out he could rent a room until September 1st which he happily did.

End of chapter

_AN: I'll end it here as the next chapter will be Harry going to Hogwarts. About the wand he bought, nearly every story I read Harry were Harry gets a new wand it's either, Gryffindors or another founders, his mother or father's or even the elder wand; I thought I'd be different and given him the old Slytherin headmasters wand. And if you'll notice I took out all the brand names from the clothing I had Harry buy in the original as I remember one reviewer commenting about how that just degraded the story or some such like that._

_Review please, next stop Hogwarts…_


	3. The Hogwarts Express and the Sorting Hat

**The Hogwarts Express and the Sorting Hat**

The day after his shopping trip, Harry had read the Ministry law book, alternatively, more accurately the laws on underage magic. After reading the laws, he had found several loopholes. For instance, the Ministry could only monitor underage magic in a Muggle house as they had no way to tell who preformed magic in an all magic house therefore underage Witches and wizards could get away with practising magic during the summer. And seeing as Harry was spending his last month at the Leaky Cauldron, he could use magic all he wanted and get away with it as the pub was absolutely riddled with magic users. He had of course tested this and preformed a simple charm, before he waited an hour for a Ministry warning owl but none came and Harry smirked knowing that as long as he was at the Cauldron or an all magic house he could get away with performing magic outside of Hogwarts.

Therefore, for the rest of the month Harry would practise Spells from his DADA, Transfiguration and Charms books. He was able to perfect five spells from each of his classes by the time September 1st rolled around and he was quite pleased with himself for it. Harry also had a different approach to his spell-casting; he would practise the wand movements one hundred times, without saying the incantation. He would then put his wand down and say the incantation one hundred times. Once he was sure he had perfected the wand-movements and incantation, he would pick up his wand and practice the spell one hundred times, by the time he finished, he had the spell perfected. He also visualised what he wanted to happen in his mind, which was a secret to casting spells, that they did not teach you that at Hogwarts wanting you to learn that part for yourself, Harry however had beginners' guides to becoming a master in his class subjects that, instructed that it was very important to visualise the spell as you performed it.

Harry had also gone back to the potions store in the Alley and purchased enough ingredients to practise the first five potions he would learn at Hogwarts. Surprisingly he had found that he was quite good with potions after reading _Potions, how they work_ and _A guide to becoming a beginner._ He had found that after reading those two books and then rereading the instructions in the Hogwarts Potions book three or four times, he was able to brew perfect or near perfect Potions on the first try. And Harry was very glad that he did, because Tom the barkeep had informed him three days into his stay about how strict the Potions-master at Hogwarts was. Since Potions were among the most dangerous of Magic's, Harry was not surprised that the teacher was strict, as one wrong potion could potentially have fatal consequences.

He had also read his beginners guide to the Dark Arts book, though he had not practised any of the spells. He was quite fascinated with the Imperius Curse; a spell that gave the castor total control over their victim. Harry hoped to be able to perfect that spell as he wanted to use it on the Dursley's. Not to kill them but to have them withdraw their entire life-savings and hand half over to an Orphanage and the other half to him that he would then give to some charity in the Wizarding world. Now wouldn't that be poetic justice? After ten years of abuse at the hands of the Dursley's, Harry planned to ruin their entire lives beyond repair, Harry understood that you did not have to kill someone to utterly destroy them.

On September 1st Harry awoke with the sun as he had been doing for the past six or seven years. As he stood from his bed, he switched on his lamp beside the bed before he went into the bathroom to take care of his Moring business, once finished in the bathroom he re-entered his bedroom and began to dress in shorts, t-shirt and trainers before he crept out of his room and down the stairs as quietly as he could so as to wake any of the other witches and wizards who were staying at the pub.

"Morning Tom." Harry nodded politely as he walked across the pub towards the door leading to Muggle London.

"Morning Hadrian." Tom replied; he of course knew who Harry was and had informed him that he was very famous in the Wizarding world and Harry, not wanting the attention brought with being the Boy-Who-Lived had asked Tom to call him by his full given name at birth. Hadrian instead of Harry that way people would be less likely to connect him to Harry Potter and would thusly leave him to his own devices.

After stepping into the deserted Muggle street, Harry did a few warm up stretches before he began jogging around the block. He was able to jog around the block three times before he began to get winded after which he sprinted as fast as he could around the block once before he re-entered the Leaky Cauldron.

"Good Run?" Tom asked with a toothless smile as he handed Harry a glass of ice-cold water.

"Yes, thanks." Replied a breathless and sweaty Harry as he took the offered glass and downed the water in one go. Ever since Harry had gone for a run on his first morning of staying at the pub, Tom had had a glass of ice-cold water waiting for him.

"What will you be having for breakfast this morning?" Tom asked him as he took the glass back.

"Surprise me today Tom." Harry replied before he headed back up to his room where he then did his push and sit ups (25 of each) before using his very own, brand new dumbbells that he had purchased in Muggle London the day after he arrived at the Pub. Once he had finished with the dumbbells, He jumped into the shower allowing the hot water to wash away the tension from his workout.

After stepping out of the shower, Harry put on a clean pair of boxer-shorts before going into his room and over to the window and opening it wide, he then turned to his snowy owl that he had named Hedwig who was purchased on his bedpost.

"Fly to Hogwarts girl." He told her as she flew over to land on his shoulder giving his ear a gentle nip. "Take your time as it'll be a few hours before I arrive." He watched as Hedwig launched out of the window and into the morning sky. After watching Hedwig fly away for a few moments he turned back to his room and made sure he had packed everything before he dressed in jeans, t-shirt, turtle-neck jumper and trainers (all black) once he was sure he had everything he grabbed his trunk and Hedwig's cage before heading back down into the pub which had filled up with witches and wizards all having their morning meal.

"Thank you Tom." Harry nodded politely after Tom had brought him his breakfast over, looking down at his plate he found a full English breakfast that would have Vernon and Dudley watering at the mouth.

"Don't worry Hadrian, it's grilled not fried." Tom informed him after seeing Harry's raised eyebrow. He didn't know why but Tom knew that Harry absolutely hated fried food.

"Ah I'll let you off then." Harry replied with a slight smile that he only ever gave the kind old man who had looked out for him in the last month, everyone else either got a blank face or cold stare. He hated fried food for two reasons. 1 it was all Vernon and Dudley ever ate and he would die before he ever took after those two in body weight and 2 he had worked bloody hard to get his body in the shape it was and he did not want to ruin all the hard work by eating fried fatty foods. Grilled food on the other hand was drained of most of its natural fats, so he deemed them safe to eat.

Three hours later found Harry gracefully exiting the fireplace on Platform nine and ¾. Tom and the Flourish & Blotts book store owner Felix Blott, had allowed Harry too practise going through the Floo-network until he had it perfected and did not come shooting out onto his ass, the trick was to walk out of the fireplace instead of just stopping like most people do until they get the hang of it.

A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign on the front engine read _Hogwarts express_. Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowds. Harry pulled his trunk down the platform in search of an empty compartment.

The first few carriages already had students in them so he continued down the platform until he came to a compartment about halfway down the train that was thankfully empty. He lifted the cage into the compartment before grabbing his trunk, bending his knees slightly, keeping his back straight, and lifting the trunk to waist height. Even though the trunk was very heavy, Harry kept a blank look on his face. He stepped up into the compartment before heaving the trunk into the luggage rack. The few people who had watched him were impressed that he could lift a heavy trunk as though it was nothing. Harry was glad that he was able to get the trunk inside without having to ask for help as asking for help was a sign of weakness to him. After placing his trunk in the overhead rack he took a seat beside the window with his feet up on the seat opposite as he opened his book on a beginners guide to the mind-arts. He had only read a few pages before the door to his compartment opened and two girls stepped inside.

"Is it ok if we sit in here?" asked the shorter than the two girls, who had black haired girl and sparkling violet eyes and a slight smile on her lips, who Harry vaguely remembered from the robe shop in Diagon Alley.

"It's a free country." Harry replied in a monotone voice as he glanced at the two girls before he went back to his book ignoring the two girls as they dragged their trunks in after them and began struggling to lift them into the overhead rack.

"You could have helped us." The brunette girl pouted slightly at him as she took as seat opposite Harry in the middle of the bench as his feet were still up on the seat.

"I could've but I didn't." Harry replied not looking up from his book.

"I'm Daphne Greengrass." The black haired girl introduced herself. Harry ignored her as he continued reading.

"And I'm Tracy Davis." The Brunette introduced herself brightly. Harry ignored her too.

"Do you have a name?" Daphne asked with a slightly raised eyebrow.

"No my parents decided that I would not have a name when I was born." Harry said sarcastically still not looking up from his book. Instead of being insulted the two girls giggled at his words.

"So what's your name?" Daphne asked rephrasing her question.

"Hadrian." Harry replied _still_ not looking up from his book and not wanting them to know he was Harry Potter.

"Have you got… what's your last name?" Daphne rephrased her question midway remembering that Harry was sarcastic when asked a stupid question causing him to smirk slightly.

"Pottus." Harry replied changing his last name slightly hoping that they would not work out his real name.

"Hadrian Pottus, you're Muggleborn then." Tracy asked curiously who was obliviously a Pureblood and did not recognise his surname.

"Halfblood." He replied as the train gave a lurch as it began pulling out of the station. "My mother was a Muggleborn and that's why you don't recognise my surname, I took hers instead of my fathers." Harry lied so as to throw them off even further.

"Who's your father?" Daphne asked after a moment of thinking it over.

"James Evans." Harry replied giving his father his mother's maiden name.

"Can we be friends?" Tracy asked with a slightly hopeful tone.

"I don't want nor do I need friends, sorry." Harry replied not sounding sorry at all.

"You don't sound sorry." Daphne pouted at him as he had yet to look up from his book.

"That's because I'm not, it was just polite to say I was." Harry replied as he turned the page of his book. Before either Tracy or Daphne could reply the compartment door banged open and Harry finally looked up from his book, a cold glare on his face. Even though he did not show it, the banging of the door had made him jump, reminding him of his _uncle_ when he was in a rage. This is the absolute wrong thing to remind Harry off.

"Davis, _what_ are you doing sitting with this _Halfblood_?" a blonde haired boy with a pale, slightly pointed face asked with a sneer as he gestured at Daphne completely ignoring Harry. Stood behind the blonde were two hulk sized boys that were at least twice the size that Dudley was.

"This Halfblood happens to be my friend Malfoy." Tracy replied as she glared at the blonde. "Not all Purebloods are inbred bigots like you and your excuse for a family."

"What did you say?" Malfoy asked trying to put a hiss in his voice but to Harry it sounded quite pathetic.

"You heard me you inbred bigot." Tracy replied a hard edge to her voice as Malfoy's cheeks pinked in anger.

You'll painfully regret that." Malfoy sneered as he turned to the hulking boys behind him. "Crabbe teach this blood-traitor a lesson." He ordered one of the hulks. The hulk, Crabbe, cracked his knuckles as he advanced menacingly into the compartment towards Tracy.

However the huge boy had hardly taken two steps inside the compartment before Harry sprang from his seat and punched him as hard as he could on the nose dropping him to the floor with a bust/broken nose as he howled in pain. Looking up Harry saw a shocked Malfoy and a scowling hulk of a boy whose name he had not yet learned.

"G-get him Goyle." Malfoy ordered in a less sure voice. The other hulk, Goyle advanced into the compartment and took a swing at Harry, who grabbed the incoming fist and twisted the arm painfully before he jabbed his fist into the boys nose three times as hard and as fast as he could, dropping him to the floor also with a bust/broken nose.

Faster than the other boy could react Harry grabbed Malfoy by the throat and pulled his face within inches of his own. He stared coldly into Malfoy's eyes for a full minute before he spoke.

"If I ever catch you setting these two on girls again I'll break your face wide open." Harry hissed coldly as he squeezed Malfoy's throat slightly to emphasize his point.

"My father…" Malfoy wheezed before Harry tightened his grip on his neck cutting off his oxygen and whatever he was going to say.

"Do not cross me Malfoy or _you_ will painfully regret it." Harry hissed as the boys face started to turn crimson from lack of air. "I'll beat you so badly your grandchildren's children will feel it." He then shoved Malfoy away from him as he started to turn purple. Malfoy dropped to the floor clutching his throat, coughing and gasping in great gulps of air. The three boys managed to pull themselves to their feet after a few moments; Malfoy was still massaging his throat as Crabbe and Goyle were holding their noses.

"Leave." Harry menacingly growled at them. The three boys couldn't seem to get out of the door fast enough before they vanished down the train the same way they had come from.

"That was… wow… thank you." An awed Tracy said to Harry as he retook his seat after closing the door.

"You're welcome." Harry nodded at her as he relaxed back in his seat.

"For someone who doesn't want or need friends you sure acted like a friend just now." Daphne jokingly observed.

"I don't need or want friends but I hate bullies." Harry would never admit it but he had had a flash of Vernon coming at him menacingly when Crabbe had advanced on Tracy and he'd just seen red.

"Well thank you." Tracy said again in a normal tone of voice as she too relaxed in her seat, she had been scared witless when Crabbe advanced on her and would be forever thankful that she and Daphne had chosen to sit in Hadrian's compartment.

"If they give either of you trouble again let me know and I'll break their faces." Harry replied as he retrieved his book from the floor where it had fallen as he'd sprang from his seat.

"Sure thing Hadrian." Tracy smiled at him while Daphne nodded her agreement before the two girls began chatting amongst themselves, once again leaving Harry to his reading.

Hours later after the three had changed into their Hogwarts robes (Harry standing outside the compartment as Tracy and Daphne changed before Harry re-entered and began changing not bothered that the two girls were still in the compartment and blushing bright red at his almost naked, toned body, only his boxers hiding his most private areas, Daphne had openly stared at him) A voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."

The train slowed right down and finally stopped. People pushed their way toward the door and out on to a tiny, dark platform. Harry stayed sat in his seat until everyone had exited the train before he jumped onto the platform at the back of students with Tracy and Daphne sticking close to him.

Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students, and Harry heard a booming voice: "Firs' years! Firs' years over here!." Looking up the platform Harry saw a huge man. He was at least twice the size of a normal man and at least three times as wide. The man had wild, bushy black hair and beard.

"C'mon, follow me - any more firs' years. Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!" Slipping and stumbling, they followed the giant of a man down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them that Harry thought there must be thick trees there. Nobody spoke much. Tracy and Daphne were clinging to his arms mainly out of fear of the blackness on either side of them and to stop from falling, Harry would have scowled at them except for the fact that they had caught him when he misplaced his foot and almost fell face first, so he allowed them to cling to him without complaint.

"Ye' all get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," the giant called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here." There was a loud "Oooooh!" The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake.

Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.

"No more'n four to a boat!" The giant called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Harry, Daphne and Tracy took a boat to themselves and were soon joined by a blonde haired girl who introduced herself as Blaise Zabini.

"Tracy Davis." Tracy replied with a bright excited smile that lit up her entire face as she shook Blaise's hand.

"Daphne Greengrass." Daphne said also with a bright smile and a hand shake.

"Hadrian." Harry said not even looking at any of the girls as he stared up at the castle.

"He's like that most of the time." Tracy explained to Blaise who had looked at her and Daphne for an explanation for Harry's behaviour.

"Everyone in." shouted the giant, who had a boat to himself. "Right then - FORWARD!" And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.

"Heads down!" yelled the giant as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbour, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles; Harry helped the three girls out of the boats like a gentleman but otherwise didn't acknowledge them.

"Oy, you there! Is this your toad." said the giant, who was checking the boats as people climbed out of them.

"Trevor!" cried a round faced boy blissfully, holding out his hands. Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle. They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, Oak front door.

"Everyone here. You there, still got yer toad." The giant raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.

The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there, who Harry remembered was called Professor McGonagall and was the transfiguration teacher, head of Gryffindor and deputy Headmistress.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said the giant.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here." Finally the first years had a name for this giant of a man. McGonagall pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was so big you could have fit the whole of the Dursley's' house in it. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringott's, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.

They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. They could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right -the rest of the school must already be here - but Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously. Daphne and Tracy clung to his arms once more in nervousness causing Harry to roll his eyes at their trembling hands on his arms.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slythrin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours."

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting." Her eyes lingered for a moment on Harry's, an unreadable expression on her face and yet Harry got the impression that she was fearful of him or a t the very least weary.

"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly." She then turned around and left the chamber.

"How exactly do they sort us into houses." he heard someone ask.

"Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking." Daphne snorted at this as she relaxed slightly her grip on Harry's arm loosening.

Harry looked around and saw that everyone else looked terrified, No one was talking much except a bushy brown haired with large front teeth who was whispering very fast about all the spells she'd learned and wondering which one she'd need.

Harry tried hard not to listen to her as he viciously squashed his own nervousness. He kept his eyes fixed on the door. Any second now, Professor McGonagall would be coming back in to lead them to the sorting.

Then something happened that made him jump about a foot in the air - several people behind him screamed.

"What the -." He growled spinning round to glare at those who had screamed almost in his ears. However as he turned around, he saw the last thing he expected to see in his life.

About twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to one another and hardly glancing at the first years. They seemed to be arguing. What looked like a fat little monk was saying: "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance -" "My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves. He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost - I say, what are you all doing here." A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed the first years. Nobody answered.

"New students!" said the Fat Friar, smiling around at them. "About to be Sorted, I suppose." A few people nodded mutely.

"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" said the Friar. "My old house, you know."

"Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start." Professor McGonagall had returned. One by one, the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall.

"Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told the first years, "and follow me." Harry got into line behind Tracy who was behind Blaise, with Daphne behind him who now had his arm in a vice-like grip, they walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.

Harry had never even imagined such a strange and splendid place. It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting.  
>These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led the first years up here, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them.<p>

The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver. Mainly to avoid all the staring eyes, Harry looked upward and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars. He heard someone whisper. "Its bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts, A History." It was hard to believe there was a ceiling there at all, and that the Great Hall didn't simply open on to the heavens.

Harry quickly looked down again as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. He raised an eyebrow silently but otherwise gave no other reaction. Noticing that everyone in the hall was now staring at the hat, he stared at it, too. For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth - and the hat began to sing:

_Oh you may not think me pretty,_

_But don't judge on what you see,_

_I'll eat myself if you can find_

_A smarter hat than me._

_You can keep your bowlers black,_

_Your top hats sleek and tall,_

_For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_

_And I can cap them all._

_There's nothing hidden in your head_

_The Sorting Hat can't see,_

_So try me on and I will tell you_

_Where you ought to be._

_You might belong in Gryffindor,_

_Where dwell the brave at heart,_

_Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_

_Set Gryffindor's apart;_

_You might belong in Hufflepuff,_

_Where they are just and loyal,_

_Those patient Hufflepuff's are true_

_And unafraid of toil;_

_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_

_if you've a ready mind,_

_Where those of wit and learning,_

_Will always find their kind;_

_Or perhaps in Slytherin_

_You'll make your real friends,_

_Those cunning folks use any means_

_To achieve their ends._

_So put me on! Don't be afraid!_

_And don't get in a flap!_

_You're in safe hands (though I have none)_

_For I'm a Thinking Cap!_

Harry blinked in surprise as the seated students began to clap. That was it, they had to try on an old hat. _"Really, really, really, REALLY."_ He thought to himself.

Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment. "When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said.

"Abbott, Hannah!" A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moment's pause - "HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat. The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. Harry saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving merrily at her.

Harry leaned forward towards Tracy as Susan Bones went up to the stool and placed the hat on her head.

"You are before Malfoy, suggest to the hat to place him in either Hufflepuff or Gryffindor." He whispered in Tracy's ear with a smirk as she giggled; he then repeated the same to Daphne who snorted a giggle at him causing McGonagall to scowl in their direction.

"Davis, Tracy." McGonagall called a little while later and Tracy walked up to the stool placing the hat on her head. There was silence for a few moments as Tracy grinned brightly before.

"Slytherin." Shouted the hat causing the table on the far left to cheer loudly as Tracy took of the hat placing it back on the stool before she went over to join her new house mates, flashing Harry a thumbs up as she went, he smirked slightly back.

A few more students were sorted before McGonagall called.

"Greengrass, Daphne." Daphne walked up to the stool and placed the hat on her head, there was a moment of silence as Daphne too smiled like Tracy had before her and then.

"Slytherin." Shouted the hat. Daphne took of the hat, placed it back on the stool before going over to the cheering table, flashing Harry a grin and a thumbs up. More and more students were sorted until finally.

"Malfoy, Draco" was called and the blonde ponce went swaggering up to the stool before putting the hat on his head with a slight sniff. For over five minutes the hall was in silence, well some students muttered as Malfoy's face grew steadily redder until finally.

"GRYFFINDOR." Shouted the hat into the absolute shocked silence of the great hall.

"WHAT! I DEMAND A RESORTING." Malfoy screamed as he ripped the hat off his head while bouncing off the stool as though it had burnt his ass.

The shocked silence was broken as Harry gave a great belly laugh as he pointed at the angry blonde who spun round to glare at him.

"You did this." Malfoy shouted at Harry when he saw who it was.

"And how did I do that when I haven't even been sorted myself yet?" Harry asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I don't know but I know you had something to do with this." Malfoy shouted ignoring McGonagall who was telling him to go to the Gryffindor table.

"Well why don't you prove it." Harry's cold hiss was a whisper, yet everyone in the hall heard him clear as day as if he had shouted at the top of his lungs.

"I DEMAND A RESORTING AND HE BE EXPELLED FOR TAMPERING WITH MY SORTING." Malfoy shouted loudly however Harry could shout louder and did so before anyone could react to Malfoy's demands.

"GO SIT DOWN BOY! Roared Harry shocking everyone in the hall as he glared at Malfoy who turned white before he raced over to the Gryffindor table. "You may now continue with the sorting Ma'am." Harry said politely to McGonagall throwing everyone for a loop with his quick change in attitude.

The sorting continued with Crabbe and Goyle being sorted into Hufflepuff. There weren't many people left now. "Moon" "Nott" "Parkinson" then a pair of twin girls, "Patil" and "Patil" then "Perks, Sally-Anne" and then, at last.

"Potter, Harry." He turned and smirked at Tracy and Daphne whose jaws dropped as he stepped forward. whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall.

"Potter, did she say."

"_The_ Harry Potter."

Harry walked calmly up to the stool and sat down and went to place the hat on his head. However before the hat even touched his head.

"Slytherin." The hat shouted surprising him as he had not even put the thing on before it shouted his house, his must have been the quickest sorting of the ceremony if not the quickest in history.

There was a shocked silence as the Gryffindor's, Ravenclaw's and Hufflepuff's looked like someone had died before all hell broke loose at the Slytherin table as every member of the house jumped to their feet clapping widely, stamping their feet and cheering in triumphant. He placed the hat back on the stool before walking over to the Slytherin table where he was clapped on the back, his hand shook vigorously, hugged by various girls and Tracy and Daphne kissed him on the cheek. For over five minutes the Slytherin's cheered until McGonagall managed to finally get them all to calm down.  
>after everyone at the table had retaken their seats, Harry turned to smirk at a scowling Malfoy before he too took his seat.<p>

He could see the High Table properly now. And there, in the center of the High Table, in a large gold chair, sat Albus Dumbledore. Harry recognized him at once from the card he'd gotten out of the Chocolate Frog on the train. Dumbledore's silver hair was the only thing in the whole hall that shone as brightly as the ghosts. Harry spotted Professor Quirrell, too, the nervous young man he had met while staying at the Leaky Cauldron.

Blaise Zabini took a seat across from Harry as McGonagall rolled up the parchment and took away the hat and stool.

"You didn't tell us you were Harry Potter." Tracy said to him accusingly with a smile on her face.

"Hadrian Pottus indeed." Grinned Daphne as McGonagall re-entered the hall.

"My full name is Hadrian James Potter." Harry smirked at them. "I didn't lie, just changed my last name slightly." Daphne and Tracy pouted at him.

Harry looked down at his empty gold plate. He had only just realized how hungry he was. The pumpkin pasties seemed ages ago.

Albus Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there.

"Welcome," he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! "Thank you!" He sat back down. Everybody clapped and cheered. Harry didn't know whether to laugh or not.

End of chapter.

_AN: I'll end it here as I'm starting to fall asleep at the computer ha-ha. How was it? Was it worth the wait? Please review with your thoughts and any good ideas you might have, you never know they may end up in the story._


	4. The Potions Master

_AN: Sorry it's been awhile since I updated this story but I was working on my last chapter's to my other story, Harry war' which is the first story I've managed to complete. Woo woo woo you know it! Sorry about that…_

**THE POTIONS MASTER**

"There, look."

"Where?"

"Wearing the glasses?"

"Did you see his face?"

"Did you see his scar?"

Whispers followed Harry from the moment he left his dormitory the next day. People lining up outside classrooms stood on tiptoe to get a look at him, or doubled back to pass him in the corridors again, staring. No matter how much Harry glared at them the students continued to stare, point him out to friends and whisper behind their hands.

His head of house, Potions master Severus Snape had given all the new first years a talk the night before, about how _all_ Slytherin's stuck together against the other three houses no matter what. He informed them that he didn't care if two families were in a blood-feud with each other, if you saw one of your house mates being picked on you stuck up for them. Harry summarised that basically any grudges with house mates were to be left in the common room.

Harry had also learned that even though they had all cheered for him together as a house, not everybody in Slytherin liked him. A lot of the older years didn't like him because of his victory over the Dark Lord when he was a baby. Thankfully however, Professor Snape had managed to get them all to agree that even though the Dark Lord met his down fall against Harry it was hardly Harry's fault, after-all he was only a year old when the Dark Lord attacked him, he was most likely to have sat there as the killing curse was fired at him, it's not like they had an epic duel in which Harry had won, thus it was not really Harry's fault and he should not be blamed and should be left alone.

Another thing that he had learned last night was that nobody _needed_ friends but everybody needed _allies_ to make it in the Wizarding world. For example if one day you wanted to run to be Minister for Magic you would need allies to back you up and help you gain support, 9 times out of 10 anyone who tried to make it in the Wizarding world on their own almost always failed. Once he had learned that Harry had gone up to Daphne Greengrass and Tracy Davis with a proposal.

"Ms. Greengrass, Ms. Davis." Harry had approached the two once professor Snape had left the common room. "In light of what we or rather I have just learned I would like to make a proposal to you both." He had spoke as he took a seat opposite them near the back of the common room on the opposite side from the fireplace.

"What kind of proposal?" Daphne had asked with a slight smile on her face and in her sparkling violet eyes.

"As future heads of our respective families I would like to propose an alliance between houses Potter and house Greengrass and house Davis." He had replied in a neutral tone of voice instead of the cold tone he normally used.

"An alliance with house Potter would be very good for my house; I shall have my father contact our family solicitor to draw up the contract." Daphne had replied in a formal voice as she dropped all playfulness about her. She may have been a half-blood but her father had still taught her in the pureblood ways growing up. Harry meanwhile had realised that he would have to inquire whether or not his family had a solicitor to look over the contracts and if not try to hire one.

"The same with me, I shall write my father tonight and have him meet with the family solicitor to draw up the contract." Tracy had spoken up after Daphne also in a formal voice. With the quick agreements for an alliance with his family, Harry had realised that his family name must be very influential or well respected or maybe both.

"Hey Potter, where were you this morning?" Theodore Nott asked Harry as he sat down to breakfast, pulling Harry out of his thoughts.

"I wake up at half 5 every morning and go for a run." Harry replied as he tucked into his breakfast of porridge and poached eggs on wholegrain toast with a fruit smoothie to drink.

"Why?" Nott asked in confusion wondering why anyone would want to go for a run at that time in the morning or any other time for that matter.

"I'm a health nut; I want to stay healthy and in-shape." Harry indicated his breakfast with a lazy wave of his hand. "A run and a healthy breakfast are a great way to start the day alert and ready for anything." He finished his explanation with a slight smirk as Nott pushed away his plate of fried fatty foods and swapped it for scrambled egg on toast.

"What's that you're drinking?" Nott asked as he eyed the tall glass Harry had just drained half of.

"Fruit smoothie, different fresh fruits blended together with milk for a simple, fast and nutritious way to start the day." Harry answered in his normal monotone voice he used when quoting a book or magazine.

"I paid an older student to show me how to access the kitchens." Harry said as he saw Nott looking round the table wondering how he had created the drink.

"Cool, may I try some?" Nott asked him in a slightly hesitant voice as Harry raised an eyebrow before he drained most of his drink before he passed the last over to Nott to try. "That's gorgeous, what is it?"

"Strawberry and kiwi." Harry replied after he had finished his breakfast and was getting ready to head to his first ever lesson in magic. "Transfiguration." He answered Nott's unasked question before the other boy could even open his mouth to ask.

"Thanks, mind if I walk with you, I want to ask you something." Nott asked as they both got up to head towards their first lesson of the day.

"Sure." Harry replied as he and Theodore headed out of the great hall.

"So I heard you, Daphne and Tracy have agreed to sign alliance contracts and I was wondering if maybe you might want to sign one with me? Theodore asked him as they headed up the marble staircase towards the fourth floor which according to their timetables the transfiguration class was said to be on.

"Ok why not." Harry replied after thinking it over for a couple of minutes. He realised that the more allies he had, the further he would go in the Wizarding world.

"Really, Wow thanks this should make my father proud." Theodore smiled at Harry but all he got in return was a blank face. "So why are you a health nut as you put it?" he asked changing the subject as they reached the fourth floor corridor and found a bushy haired girl standing outside a door with her nose buried in a book.

"Because my uncle and cousin are huge fat slobs and I'll be dead and buried before I ever let myself get like that." Harry replied blandly as he stood opposite the door in which the bushy haired girl stood as he remembered her from the sorting and realised that this must be the transfiguration classroom as she was wearing a Gryffindor tie and they had the class with the Gryffindors.

After waiting around for ten minutes most if not all of the students were waiting outside the classroom. Most of the Gryffindor's were looking at Harry with betrayed looks on their faces after they had taken note of his Slytherin tie and house badge on his robes. Draco Malfoy however was glaring at Harry for all he was worth as though to try and intimidate him.

"_Pathetic little ponce_." Harry thought to himself as he glared coldly at the Gryffindor's around him. Just then the door to the classroom clicked before swinging inwards, permitting the students entrance. Everyone followed the bushy haired girl into the classroom and quickly found seats as Professor McGonagall stood in front of her desk watching them. Once roll was called McGonagall began.

"Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts. Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned." Then she changed her desk into a pig and back again. They were all very impressed and couldn't wait to get started, but soon realized they weren't going to be changing the furniture into animals for a long time. After taking a lot of complicated notes, they were each given a match and started trying to turn it into a needle.

Soon the classroom was filled with the voices of the students as they tried to complete the task at hand. Harry however just looked around the classroom bored; he had already completed this on his 2nd full day at the Cauldron.

"Potter, why are you not practising the spell?" McGonagall's voice barked out over the students five minutes after they had been given the task causing the students to turn in their seats and look at Harry who sat in the very back of the classroom on his own.

"Because I have already mastered this spell ma'am." Harry replied in a polite tone of voice.

"Rubbish you were only given the task five minutes ago, five points from Slytherin for lying." As McGonagall said this all the Slytherin students began protesting loudly as Malfoy and Weasley sniggered at him. It seemed that only McGonagall herself saw Harry's eyes flash in anger as he picked up his wand.

"_He wouldn't_." McGonagall thought to herself a bit of fear entering her being. However, instead of turning the wand on her as she had irrationally thought, he turned it upon the needle in front of him.

"_Acus_." In his anger at being called a liar for no reason at all, Harry did not even realise that he left out the wand-movements and preformed the spell silently, however the results were the same, a perfect needle now lay upon his desk.

"M-My apologies Mr. Potter, 20 points to Slytherin, five for the ones I took and 15 for a perfect spell-cast."McGonagall said as she got over her shock at what she had just seen. Harry however just ignored her as though she had not even spoken. For the rest of the lesson, Harry completely ignored McGonagall as he read through his textbook, he didn't even look up when she asked him a direct question, he did however note down the homework they were assigned before storming out of the classroom the second the bell rang.

Ten minutes later the Slytherin's and Gryffindor's were sat in the dungeon classroom for their first potions class. Harry was once more sat in the back of the classroom alone, not that some students hadn't tried to sit next to him, however, Daphne and Tracy both found seats away from him once they took note of his cold hard glare. Minutes after the bell rang the door to the classroom burst open and Snape swept into the room and up to his desk at the front before spinning on his heel to face the students, a scowl upon his face. He surveyed them silently as he looked around them all taking a mental roll-call.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making. As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even stopper death - if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach." he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word - like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort.

"Weasley!" said Snape suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

"I-I don't know sir." Answered Ron Weasley after exchanging glances with Dean Thomas beside him even as the bushy haired girl's hand shot into the air.

"Tut, tut - "Let's try again. Weasley, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?" the bushy haired girls' hand seemed to stretch towards the ceiling even more.

"I don't know sir." Ron replied once more.

"Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Weasley?" Snape was still ignoring the bushy haired girls now quivering hand.

"What is the difference, Weasley, between monkshood and Wolfsbane?" at this the bushy haired girl actually stood from her seat her hand stretching towards the ceiling.

"I don't know," said Ron quietly. "I think Hermione does, though, why don't you try her?"A few people laughed; Ron caught Seamus's eye, and Seamus winked. Snape, however, was not pleased. "Sit down," he snapped at Hermione. He then looked around the classroom before his eyes landed on Harry in the back of the class.

"Perhaps you can answer my questions Potter?" Snape asked him quietly as the students once more turned in their seats to look at Harry.

"Yes sir, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and Wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite." Harry answered in a bland tone of voice causing most of the Gryffindor's jaws to drop.

"One last question Mr. Potter, where did you learn the answers to those questions?" Snape asked confirming that Harry had answered all three questions correctly.

"In the first chapter of One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi where it gives an introduction to potions-making and the most common ingredients used in the classroom." Harry replied without missing a beat.

"Very good Mr. Potter, take twenty points for Slytherin." Snape then put them all into pairs and set them to mixing up a simple potion to cure boils. He swept around in his long black cloak, watching them weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs, criticizing almost everyone except Harry, whom he seemed to like as he had allowed Harry to work on his own. He was just telling everyone to look at the perfect potion Harry had brewed when clouds of acid green smoke and a loud hissing filled the dungeon. Neville had somehow managed to melt Seamus's cauldron into a twisted blob, and their potion was seeping across the stone floor, burning holes in people's shoes. Within seconds, the whole class was standing on their stools while Neville, who had been drenched in the potion when the cauldron collapsed, moaned in pain as angry red boils sprang up all over his arms and legs.

"Idiot boy!" snarled Snape, clearing the spilled potion away with one wave of his wand. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?"Neville whimpered as boils started to pop up all over his nose. "Take him up to the hospital wing" Snape spat at Seamus.

Then he rounded on Dean and Ron, who had been working next to Neville. "You - Weasley - why didn't you tell him not to add the quills? Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That's another point you've lost for Gryffindor." Ron's face burned crimson in anger and he opened his mouth to say something before Dean kicked him under the table warning him not to push it.

An hour later Harry was sat at the Slytherin table eating tuna pasta-bake for his lunch when Daphne and Tracy sat down across from him.

"Have you seen this Harry?" Daphne asked him as she passed him a copy of that mornings_ Daily Prophet_.

"No not yet." Harry replied as he opened the paper.

**Harry Potter the Next Dark Lord? **_By Rita Skeeter_

Was the glaring headline that jumped out at Harry as he looked at the front page. Somehow the newspaper reporter had found out that Harry had been sorted into Slytherin house and because of his defeat of Voldemort when he was one and now been sorted into the house Voldemort was descended from, automatically made him the next Dark Lord somehow. As he finished reading the article and looked around the great hall, Harry noticed that most of the other houses were looking at him with suspicion and some fear.

"Thank you for showing me this Daphne." Harry said as he threw the paper aside.

"What are you going to do?" Tracy asked seemingly sensing that he was not about to let it slide.

"First I'm going to find out whether or not I have a lawyer then I'm going to sue them." Harry answered with a hint of a smirk on his face.

"You do have a lawyer, he's the same as my family's lawyer, Pollux Porter of Porter and Sons law firm." Tracy informed him with a grin.

"That's alright then." Harry smirked fully now knowing that Tracy's lawyer would not try to pull anything funny when it came to the contracts they were going to sign, he would just have to have his lawyer look over the contracts from Daphne and Theodore's lawyers before signing. Harry had his own motto; DTA: Don't Trust Anybody.

_Two weeks later _

A fortnight into their first year and Harry had fallen into a routine. He would wake up at half past 5 every morning before going for a run around the lake, after-which he would do his twenty press and sit ups before using Dudley's dumbbell's that he had got a house-elf from the kitchens to steal from number four. After his workout was complete he would then go back to his dorm for a shower before dressing for the day. In all his classes he was the unofficial top student, unofficial because they had yet to take any tests to show who was top of their year, yet he was always the first to complete a potion or master a spell, his homework always came back with compliments of his in-depth answers/explanations. He also seemed to be every teachers favourite student, well except McGonagall's who he still completely ignored much to the professor's annoyance.

He had also signed the alliance-contracts with Daphne, Tracy and Theodore which had been reported in the _Daily Prophet, _who two days afterwards got the shock of their lives when Harry successfully sued them. Rita Skeeter who had slandered Harry had been ordered to pay him ten thousand galleons in compensation and the Daily Prophet been banned from mentioning Harry's name in their paper for two years. The Gryffindor's, Hufflepuff's, Ravenclaw's and the professors had stared at him in shock upon reading how the Boy-Who-Lived had sued the paper while the Slytherin's and Professor Snape had openly laughed outright. Ron Weasley however, seemed hell bent on antagonising him at every chance he got, making snide remarks whenever they were in earshot of each other and also trying to blame him for every little thing that went wrong for him in classes. So far Daphne and Tracy had managed to make sure Harry didn't beat him into the ground but Harry was patient, he would wait until they were both alone and then he would beat the redheaded little prick to a pulp.

_Staff room second floor_

"Staff meeting closed." Albus Dumbledore said ending the staff meeting. At the beginning of every year they would hold a staff meeting after two weeks to discuss how the first year students were settling in. As the professor's began to leave the classroom, he motioned for the heads of house to stay behind.

"Now what are your observations of Mr. Potter?" Dumbledore asked once only he and the heads of house remained.

"He is a very polite and gifted child when it comes to potions." Snape answered quickly, smirking when four pairs of startled eyes snapped towards him.

"After the way you were talking about him in the summer I expected you to be the first to call him an arrogant pampered prince." Flitwick squeaked with a slight smile on his face.

"Yes well that was before I saw the two memories of Potter and the Dark Lord as a boy and before Potter was sorted into my house. He reminds me a lot of myself when I was his age, emotionally detached from the world and untrusting of everyone." Here Dumbledore broke in.

"How do you mean untrusting of everyone?" Dumbledore asked with a frown.

"Well some of the 6th and 7th years that I trust completely have informed me that Potter has his own motto." Snape replied in a slightly hesitant voice as he knew the headmaster would not like Potter's motto.

"His own motto, you mean his family motto?" Professor Spout asked in confusion.

"No his own motto that he adopted as a very young child." Snape replied with a head shake.

"And what is his motto?" Dumbledore asked with a feeling in the pit of his stomach that he would not like what he was about to hear.

"DTA; don't trust anybody." Snape replied with a long sigh as he watched Dumbledore close his eyes.

"Don't trust anybody." Dumbledore repeated softly before he opened his eyes and looked at his four most trusted staff members. "What in Merlin's name did those Muggle's do to him so he had to adopt such a motto?" as he asked this Albus looked every one of his 152 years and then some.

"What can we do to ensure he does not turn to the dark arts? McGonagall asked after a few minutes silence.

"Show him love, caring and kindness." Flitwick spoke up before anyone else could so much as open their mouths.

"I shall talk to Ms. Greengrass and Ms. Davis privately and explain the situation, see if they can't show him kindness and caring without raising his suspicions as they seem to be the closest to him." Snape told them with a firm nod of his head knowing that he had made the right choice to view Harry Potter as the child of Lily Evans rather than the spawn of James Potter.

"That's a good idea. An invite to spend the Christmas holiday with them should help wonders also." Smiled Professor Sprout.

"And I shall see if I can't find other arrangements for his summer holidays, it is quite clear that he cannot remain with his aunt and uncle." Dumbledore mused aloud as the wheels in his brilliant mind began to turn.

"Yes and since we have almost 10 months until next summer, we should be able to make sure the place is the most secure place on earth." McGonagall spoke up showing that even though Harry did not like her and completely ignored her in class she was willing to go out of her way to make sure he was protected and safe during the summer.

"Hopefully with us all working together we will be able to prevent another Tom Riddle." Dumbledore said with a small smile and hope in his voice.

"I still can't believe he sued the _Daily Prophet_." Flitwick suddenly spoke up with a giggle seemingly unable to spot himself any longer.

"It was pretty funny." Laughed Sprout in agreement. Soon they were all having a good laugh at the thought of a first year Hogwarts student successfully suing a newspaper company. Harry Potter had not even been at Hogwarts a month and already he had already gone down in Hogwarts history and legend as the only known student to sue a company of any kind.

However their laughed soon died when the door burst open and a frantic looking Amanda Turpin came rushing through the door.

"Headmaster, Professor's come quickly, Ron Weasley has been viscously attacked and put in the hospital wing." Amanda informed them before rushing back out the door as the headmaster and professor's quickly scrambled to follow her out the door.

End of chapter

_AN2: I'll end it here as this is a good place to end it and make you want more. Was it worth the wait? Two weeks at Hogwarts and Harry is already making history and making alliances. As you can see my Harry is not just going to lie back and take slander or anything else of the sort. Oh and to move away from the norm of Fanfiction I'm allowing females to be able to become the heads of their families instead of just filling the duty until their first born son is of age thus making my story a little different and you know what they say, little things soon mount up into big things. _


	5. Halloween

_An: sorry for the wait, but I recently started an English, Maths and I.T course and have been working on that, thus the updates for all my stories have been and will be quite far apart but rest assured I have not abandoned them. Here's the next chapter hope you all like it._

**Halloween**

_However their laughter soon died when the door burst open and a frantic looking Amanda Turpin came rushing through the door._

_"Headmaster, Professor's come quickly; Ron Weasley has been viscously attacked and put in the hospital wing." Amanda informed them before rushing back out the door as the headmaster and professor's quickly scrambled to follow her out the door._

_Flashback 15 minutes_

Harry was walking alone on the 4th floor as he had decided to explore the castle for a while since all his homework was completed and he had mastered all the spells they would be practicing in class in the coming two weeks. He was just thinking he'd have a look around the library to see if any books caught his attention when he spotted Ron Weasley up ahead entering the bathroom.  
>After all the jibes and insults the other boy had thrown his way in the two weeks that they had been in Hogwarts Harry was waiting for his opportunity to teach the git a lesson. So far though he and the redhead had been lucky, twice Daphne and Tracy had to physically stop Harry from jumping on the redhead, and thus they had saved him from a world of pain and Harry from a heap of detentions. Well Daphne and Tracy weren't here to save Weasley now.<p>

Looking around him, he didn't see any other students or any teachers so he quickly made his way towards the bathroom that Weasley had entered. Opening the door as slowly and as quietly as he could, Harry peeked his head around the door to see that the bathroom was empty except for Weasley who just pulling up the fly on his jeans as he made his way towards the sinks. His biggest mistake was not spotting Harry at the door as he began washing his hands.

Harry, quickly but silently made his way across the bathroom until he stood right behind Weasley who had his head bent as he washed his hands and did not see Harry behind him in the mirror. Grabbing a handful of the boys' hair, Harry smashed the boys' face into the sink letting go of his hair as his face connected with the unforgiving sink. Weasley sank to the floor holding his now bleeding nose and moaning in pain but Harry was not finished yet as he stamped on the boys hand with a sickening crunch in the telltale sound of bones braking. Bending over the boy Harry punched him three times in the jaw, shattering the bone viscously. As he straitened, Harry pulled the boy up with him before throwing him against the sink so his back was to him before he punched the boy six times in the kidney area as hard and as fast as he could before letting the boy slide back to floor.

Looking down upon the boy, Harry saw that Weasley was bleeding onto the floor and moaning in pain as he held his hands to his face; as he was on his hands or in this case elbows and knees, Weasleys head was raised off of the floor so Harry took quick steps back before running at the boy and lifting his leg up so that his shin connected with the side of Weasleys head, painfully knocking the boy unconscious.

Looking down at the boy who was now laid on his back after the punt to the head, Harry could see that the boys' eyes were beginning to bruise indicating that his nose was broken. Turning around, Harry exited the bathroom silently chuckling to himself as he did so. He began making his way towards the dungeons and the Slytherin common room as though he had done nothing more than take a calm stroll through the castle. Upon reaching the common room, Harry made his way to the dorm room he shared with Theodore, ignoring the other students milling around the room.

As he entered the dorm, he noticed that the room was empty so he strolled over to his trunk. After taking out a black sack and his Charms book he walked back down to the common room and made his way over to a sofa beside the fireplace opposite two 7th year boys.

Dropping down onto the sofa, Harry threw the bag at one of the boys when they looked up at him.

"What's this for?" Marcus Flint asked with confusion wondering why Harry would throw him a sack of what was obviously money.

"That is a sack of 100 Galleons." Harry answered blandly as he opened his book to the page he had marked.

"Not that we're complaining about you giving us a hundred Galleons, but why?" Miles Bletchley asked just as confused as Flint was.

"Because if any of the professor's ask, I've been in here all morning since breakfast." Harry replied in that same bland tone as he looked up at the two with a meaningful smirk and a slightly raised eyebrow.

"Ah right I get you." Flint said with his own smirk as his respect for Harry grew at the cunning mind of young Harry Potter.

"Yes that's right Professor Snape, Harry here has been reading his book for the last 3 hours only getting up to use the bathroom." Miles spoke with his own smirk as Flint snorted while Harry nodded his head at him before they all went back to their books.

_End of flashback _

_Hospital wing_

"How is he Poppy?" McGonagall asked as she and the other heads of house along with the headmaster looked upon the now sleeping redhead.

"He will live but I will be keeping him here for at least four days to keep an eye on him." Poppy Pomfrey answered with a sad sigh. "Whoever did this gave the poor boy a real beating." She informed them quietly.

"What injuries did he sustain?" Dumbledore asked in a soft voice as he looked at Ron sadly.

"Three broken fingers on his left hand, a broken nose, two black eyes, and his jaw was broken in three places, his kidneys were bruised and lightly bleeding and he has a concussion." Pomfrey answered causing three of the professors' and the headmaster to gasp in shock. Snape just looked upon the boy with a blank uncaring face as was usual for him.

"Sweet Merlin, who would do such a thing to a first year?" Flitwick asked them in his squeaky voice as he looked at the boy laid on the bed that he could only just see due to his small height.

"Could be any one of a dozen students', for the last two weeks Weasley has been making snide and downright spiteful comments to some of the children for the slightest thing." Professor Sprout said in a tone that said she had been expecting something like this to happen sooner or later. Well maybe not quite this bad, but she had been expecting it nonetheless.

"That's true, nearly every day my prefects report how Weasley and Malfoy are always at each others throats. " McGonagall informed them with a shake of her head.

"Yes and nearly every day since term began, I've heard the boy calling Potter an evil, dark wizard who is training to take You-Know-who's place as the next Dark Lord." Flitwick informed the group with a sad shake of his head.

"And what was Harry's response?" Dumbledore asked with slight concern.

"From what I have seen he has merely ignored the boy, sometimes he'd turn round to face Weasley and gave a huge fake yawn." Flitwick responded quietly as he swallowed a laugh at Ronald's face whenever Potter yawned at him.

"Well regardless of what Mr. Weasley may or may not have said to other students, nobody deserves this." Dumbledore began as he gestured towards Ron's still form. "Therefore I am asking each of you to gather your houses and interview each one of them to see if the guilty party may confess or if any other student knows anything that may help us." The four heads of house nodded their heads to shows they understood the headmaster, before he continued.

"That is really all we can do until Mr. Weasley awakens and we speak with him, hopefully he saw his attacker or attackers. Meanwhile I shall contact Arthur and Molly and inform them of the situation." Dumbledore then bid them all a goodbye before he swept from the hospital wing to go contact the Weasley parents.

Snape also swept from the hospital wing not saying a word the entire time he'd been there. He hoped that it was not Potter who had attacked Weasley, he really didn't want to give his star first year Slytherin detentions and remove points for attacking a Gryffindor. He'd much rather _give_ points for that. Then again, maybe Potter was a true Slytherin and had already arranged a suitable alibi. If that was the case, then he, Snape would not inform the others but he would keep an eye on him for any signs that the boy was going dark, but until then he would not step in and stop the boy.

_Headmaster's office, Two hours later_

"Do we know who attacked Mr. Weasley?" Dumbledore asked the heads of house from his seat behind a huge oak table.

"Nobody from my house has a clue and none of them looked to be lying." Professor Sprout informed them speaking up first.

"Thank you Pomona." Dumbledore replied with a slight bow of his head towards the plump Herbology professor.

"None from my house know anything either." Flitwick spoke up next. He was upset that someone would give a 1st year such a beating but at the same time he was thankful that it was not one of his students who had been beaten, plus he was pleased nobody in his house was involved.

"None from mine know anything either, though the Weasley brothers have sworn revenge." McGonagall spoke next with an unreadable expression on her face. On the one hand she was pleased at the loyalty the brothers showed to their younger sibling and yet on the other hand she did not want any of her lions to get themselves into trouble, Merlin knows the Weasley twins got into enough trouble as it is.

"Understandable, but please inform them that any acts of revenge will be severely punished." Dumbledore in formed McGonagall before he turned towards Snape with a slightly raised eyebrow.

"I talked to each of my Slytherin's in random groups, I asked each of them what they knew about an attack on a first year, I scanned their surface thoughts as they answered, none of them knew anything." Snape lied smoothly as he looked each professor in the eye.

"And what of Potter?" McGonagall asked. She had a feeling that it was Harry Potter who had attacked Ronald but she also had a feeling that they'd never be able to prove it.

"He has been in the common room all morning working on his Charms and Transfiguration." Snape lied thinking that if he mentioned that Potter had been working on her subject then maybe McGonagall might warm to the boy. Though he doubted that Potter would warm to McGonagall anytime soon, or anybody really.

"Does he have any witnesses to prove that?" McGonagall asked in a voice that quite clearly said she did not believe a word of it.

"Let me think, Potter has been sat in the common room all morning, the students have to walk across the common room to exit through the door to the rest of the school, but _no_ Potter does not have a single witness." Snape replied in a sarcastic voice as he looked at McGonagall as though a first year Hufflepuff could have worked out that answer.

"No need to get sarcastic." McGonagall snapped at Snape with a frown on her face.

"Well if you didn't ask such stupid questions then maybe I wouldn't need too." Snape replied bitingly as he stared down the older woman.

"Enough." Dumbledore spoke firmly before McGonagall could reply and get herself worked up. "We have done all we can to find out who attacked Mr. Weasley, now unless Ronald knows who attacked him there is nothing more we can do." His tone was final and all of the professor's knew he would hear nothing more on the subject until they had a chance to speak to Mr. Weasley the next morning when Pomfrey brought him out of his spell induced sleep.

The next day, Harry was sitting alone in the very back of the Slytherin common room reading an introduction into the Dark Arts, when Tracy and Daphne plopped into seats on either side of him, Daphne on his right and Tracy on his left.

"Hiya Harry! What'cha reading?" Daphne asked in her usual bubbly voice as she leaned over Harry's shoulder to look at the book in his lap.

"An introduction to the Dark Arts." Harry answered truthfully causing the two girls to gasp in shock.

"The Dark Arts, but there forbidden." Tracy whispered as she looked around fearfully hoping nobody had heard his reply, luckily no one was near them to have overheard Harry's reply.

"So, if I ever find myself fighting a dark wizard in the future I will need to know exactly what it is I'm fighting." Harry answered blandly yet honestly as he would one day find himself fighting a dark wizard, well Dark Lord to be more precise.

"But they are forbidden you could get in a lot of trouble just for owning that book." Daphne told him in a worried tone of voice.

"And since when did you become my mother?" Harry asked her coldly as he glared at the two girls who both shrank away from his look.

"I didn't but that doesn't mean I want to watch you go down a path of no return, just be careful." Daphne replied in a quiet voice, Harry however just looked at her uncaringly causing her to sigh in defeat.

"So do you know who attacked Weasley? Tracy asked after a few minutes silence in which Harry had gone back to reading his book.

"No." Harry replied not looking up from his book as he turned a page.

"Want a game of chess?" Daphne asked.

"No." Was Harry's reply not looking up.

"Want a game of exploding snap?" Tracy asked.

"No." Was the reply.

"Want to play any game?" Daphne asked hopefully.

"No." Harry replied as he continued to read his book.

"Want to see my naked bum." Tracy asked with a giggle thinking that Harry was not really listening to them and just answering the same to every question.

"Not right now, maybe when we're a little older." Harry replied with a smirk as he looked up at Tracy's now bright red face. His smirk grew larger as Tracy stood up and ran up to her dorm in embarrassment.

"See you later." Daphne giggled as she stood from her chair to follow her friend, giggling all the way as she did so.

Harry was able to read another two chapters before someone else dropped into a seat beside him, looking up Harry saw Marcus Flint sitting beside him.

"Potter, as you no doubt know by now I am the captain of the Slytherin Quidditch team, well this coming Wednesday we are holding trails as we need a new chaser and seeker and unlike the other three houses we encourage all years of our house to try out for the team should they wish to join, so if you wish to try out be on the Quidditch pitch no later than 7pm on Wednesday." Flint informed him as he glanced at the book Harry was reading, unlike Daphne and Tracy however, Flint didn't seem to care what he was reading about.

"I'll think about it." Harry said after a moment's thought.

"That's all I ask." Flint said with a nod before he stood to leave.

"Hey Flint." Harry called before the older boy could leave causing the boy to turn back and look at him. "Want to earn some money for an hour's work, five nights a week?" Harry asked causing the older boy to raise his eyebrows.

"I'm listening." Flint said as he dropped back into the seat beside Harry. For the next five Minutes Harry explained what he wanted from Flint before they worked out a price.

"We have a deal then young Harry, I'll see you tomorrow night, outside the common room at ten to six sharp." Flint said with a smile as he and Harry shook hands sealing the deal.

"I'll be there Marcus." Harry nodded with a smirk. His path to greatness would begin tomorrow night, nothing and no one would stand in his was as he became the greatest sorcerer to ever walk the face of the earth. He did not wish to conquer the world, oh no he wanted to be known as the absolute best to ever walk it and if he had to go through Voldemort and yes even Dumbledore to do so, then so be it.

Over the next month Harry continued to outperform all of the other 1st year students in class, always the first to 'master' a spell, always giving very detailed answers when asked a question, his home work was always at least twenty inches longer than what the Professor's had asked for whilst being nearly twice as detailed than the other students. Not a class went by where he didn't earn at least ten points for Slytherin. He had yet too loose a single point or get a single detention, he had not being caught out in the castle after curfew. Too Professors and students, Harry James Potter was the role model that all the students should strive to be like.

Of course the professors and students only saw what Harry wanted them to see, the polite, well mannered, always helpful first year student who all professor's sung their praises to each other. Behind the scenes was another story all together, Harry was very cold , uncaring and completely ruthless and remorseless. Just last week he had put Draco Malfoy's head through a window when he caught the boy alone on the 6th floor. The whelp had called Harry's mother a Mudblood whore. Well now the blonde idiot had a long scar running down the side of his face that would never fade completely, his father had had the Auror's in to do an investigation but Harry had gotten away with it yet again as he once more paid older students to say he'd been near them all afternoon.

If he had learned anything from Vernon Dursley it was that money is a power all its own and Harry had millions of it in his grasp. As well as presenting a mask to the rest of the school, Harry had begun duelling lessons with Marcus Flint for an hour a night, 5 nights a week. He paid the 7th year 10 Galleons a lesson, 50 a week, 200 a month and for the next 9 months it would cost Harry 1'800 in total, money well spent in Harry's opinion as Flint was really taking to the lessons as he had already taught Harry how to disarm an opponent, blast an opponent with the Reducto curse along with another 10 offensive spells. He had also begun to practice some of the mild Dark spells, so far he had managed to master 5, they were a lot harder to master than the spells taught at Hogwarts, but Harry knew that with practise they would become easier to master.

_Great Hall, Halloween _

A thousand live bats fluttered from the walls and ceiling while a thousand more swooped over the tables in low black clouds, making the candles in the pumpkins flicker. The feast appeared suddenly on the golden plates, as it had at the start-of-term banquet. Harry sat talking quietly to Daphne, Tracy and Theodore as they tucked into the feast.

"So did any of your families get an invite to the Ministries Christmas ball?" Theodore asked as he tucked into his plate of food. He was looking at Daphne and Tracy as he asked this.

"Yes my father already replied that we would be attending." Tracy replied once she had swallowed her mouthful of food.

"My father replied that he would go if my mother, sister and I could go but Lucius Malfoy got all the other Purebloods to block my mother from being able to attend due to her been a Muggleborn though the official reason was because my family are a so called dark family." Daphne replied with disgust; her family had been labelled dark because they refused to choose a side in the war against You-Know-Who.

"Bigoted git." Theodore spat as he glared over at Draco Malfoy who was sat arguing with Ron Weasley as per usual.

"I relied that I would be most honoured to attend the Ministry Christmas ball." Harry spoke up causing three heads to whip round and look at him in surprise.

"I mean no disrespect but who invited you?" Tracy asked in surprise as she had never heard of an eleven year old boy been invited to anything at the ministry unless he was with his family.

"Minister Fudge invited me and a guest of my choosing to be a guest at his table at the Ministry ball." Harry replied with a smirk as three jaws dropped in shock.

"Wow the Minister invited you to be a guest at his table during the ball, that's the highest show of respect you can be given during the ball." Theodore said in shock as he stared at Harry who smirked at him as he continued eating.

"So who are you going to take?" Tracy asked curiously as she too continued eating her food.

"Who said I wanted to take anyone?" Harry asked his smirk growing ever so slightly.

"You're going to go by yourself." Theodore said slightly shocked, and yet he was not really all that shocked since this was the cold, uncaring Harry Potter after all.

"Oh I'll be taking someone and I know just who to take to rile up the Malfoy's." Harry answered with a full blown smirk as he turned to face Daphne who was not paying attention to him as she tucked into a slice of toffee apple crumble.

"Ms. Greengrass." Harry called to Daphne in a formal tone as Theo and Tracy stared in shock. "Would you do me the honour of being my date to the Ministry ball this coming Christmas." He asked her causing her to stare at him in surprise.

"You want me to be your date for the ball?" Daphne asked in surprise to be sure she had heard him right.

"As acquaintances Ms. Greengrass if you would be so kind as to accompany me." Harry replied in that same formal tone, not a hint of a smirk on his face even though he was only asking her so as to try get under the Malfoy's skins, well mainly Draco's.

"I would be delighted to accompany you Mr. Potter." Daphne replied in a formal tone before a bright smile burst onto her face to which Harry merely gave her a nod of thanks.

"Well if you will all excuse me a moment I must use the restroom." Harry said politely as he stood from his seat before he left the hall not even waiting for a reply.

Theodore was just helping himself to another baked potato when Professor Quirrell came sprinting into the hall, his turban askew and terror on his face. Everyone stared as he reached Professor Dumbledore's chair, slumped against the table, and gasped, "Troll — in the dungeons — thought you ought to know." He then sank to the floor in a dead faint. There was an uproar. It took several purple firecrackers exploding from the end of Professor Dumbledore's wand to bring silence.

"Prefects," he rumbled, "lead your Houses back to the dormitories immediately!"

Miles Bletchley sprang from his seat in the middle of the Slytherin table. "Follow me! Stick together, first years! No need to fear the troll if you follow my orders! Stay close behind me, now. Make way, first years coming through! Excuse me, I'm a prefect!" And he bodily picked up a third year Ravenclaw before placing the surprised girl to the side out of his way before he continued leading the Slytherin's out of the great hall.

Suddenly Daphne stopped as she grabbed Tracy and Theodore by the arms and pulled them off to the side away from the crowds.

"Harry, he doesn't know." She gasped breathlessly as Tracy and Theodore went pale at the thoughts now running through their minds.

"Let's go find him." Theo said bravely as he turned to do just that. Tracy, however yanked him back by his collar.

"Don't be thick, the troll could be anywhere in the castle by now, we'll go inform a prefect who will then inform Snape." Tracy ordered them logically before she turned round and the three of them began sprinting towards a nearby prefect.

"Excuse me but Harry Potter went to the toilet before we found out about the troll so he doesn't know about it." Tracy informed sixth year Ravenclaw prefect Amanda Turpin.

"Right, I'll inform the Professor's you three get to your common room, quickly now." Amanda watched the three sprint towards the dungeon stairs before she turned around and began sprinting towards where she had last seen Flitwick heading.

Up on the third floor, Harry had just left the boy's bathroom and was making his way back towards the great hall when he heard a high pitched terrified scream that came from down the hall causing him to freeze in mid-step before he slowly turned around to look down the hall but it was empty. However Harry quickly began making his way down the hall. As he reached the door leading to the girl's bathroom a foul stench reached his nostrils, a mixture of old socks and the kind of public toilet no one seems to clean. And that's when he heard it, a girls terrified whimpers and a low grunting, and the shuffling footfalls of gigantic feet. Slowly and as quietly as he could Harry opened the door to the girl's bathroom before he peaked his head round the door, the sight that met his eyes caused his jaw to go slack and hang open.

It was a horrible sight. Twelve feet tall, its skin was a dull, granite gray, its great lumpy body like a boulder with its small bald head perched on top like a coconut. It had short legs thick as tree trunks with flat, horny feet. The smell coming from it was incredible. It was holding a huge wooden club, which dragged along the floor because its arms were so long.

Hermione Granger and Susan Bones were shrinking against the wall opposite, looking as if they were about to faint. The troll was advancing on them, knocking the sinks off the walls as it went.

"_Confuse_ _it_." Harry thought to himself as he pulled his wand out and pointed it at the wall to the left of the troll. "_Reducto_.'" He whispered. The wall next to the troll exploded loudly causing the troll to pause before it turned too stare stupidly at the wall that now had a medium sized hole in the middle.

As quietly as he could Harry snuck up behind the troll before he pointed his wand at the wall on the right and he let loose another _Reducto_ curse causing another loud explosion and the troll to once more turn and stare at the wall in confusion, Harry moved with the troll as it moved keeping himself behind the troll. He then fired another _Reducto_ at the corner opposite Hermione and Susan, as the troll moved to look over there Harry turned to the two girls and put his finger to his lips before pointing at the door leading out of the bathroom.

Susan Bones nodded her understanding and began to quietly drag Hermione towards the exit as the troll continued to stare stupidly at the corner of the bathroom, unfortunately as the two girls reached the exit the troll spotted them and roared in anger causing the girls to turn and stare in fear as the troll advanced towards them.

"OI pee-brain." Harry yelled as he fired a Reducto at the back of the troll's head, it did not do any damage but it did get the troll's attention as its head snapped forward slightly. Turning round the troll finally spotted Harry and began advancing towards him leaving the girls alone who were still watching the troll in fear.

"RUN YOU FOOLS." Harry shouted at the girls before he dropped to the floor to avoid being hit with the troll's club, as he hit the floor Harry rolled to his left as fast as he could avoiding the club that smashed into the floor where he had been a moment before. Jumping back to his feet Harry pointed his wand at the club that was once more speeding towards his head.

"_Reducto_." Harry shouted. BANG! The curse struck the club exploding it in a shower of thousands of shards of wood. The troll brought the stump of it club to its face and stared at it in confusion.

Harry meanwhile ran towards the exit only to find Susan and Hermione still stood there blocking his way out.

"Run." He shouted at them as he grabbed their arms and turned them towards the exit shoving them out the door, a roar behind him told him that the troll had spotted them. As the three students began running down the hall towards the marble stairs leading to the rest of the castle the ground shook under the running feet of the troll as it chased them down the hall.

As they raced around the corner at the end of the hall, Harry pressed himself flat against the wall as Hermione and Susan began running down the marble stairs, seconds later the troll lumbered around the corner and began making its way towards the staircase, missing Harry as it did so.

"_REDUCTO_." Harry roared putting all the power he could behind the spell, his wand aimed at the back of the trolls' knee, the troll roared as its knee was taken out from under it and it fell towards the stairs, however, instead of falling down the stairs as Harry had hoped the troll smashed into the banister before seconds later it fell out of sight.

**BOOM**! The entire castle seemed to shake with the force of the troll hitting the floor moments later. Harry made his way towards the broken banister before carefully looking over the edge, there three floors down, in the entrance hall was the unmoving body of the troll that had seconds before been chasing him and the two girls who were now looking over the banister one floor down. From his vantage point Harry could see that the ground around the body of the troll was badly cracked and a dark red pool was seeping out from under the trolls face.

Down in the entrance Hall, Headmaster Albus Dumbledore stared in complete shock at the body of the huge mountain troll that had seconds before smashed head first into the ground mere feet from him, five seconds later and the troll would have landed on him as he had been making his way towards the marble stairs.

Slowly Dumbledore lifted his head to look up towards the stairs, there standing on the second floor looking over the banister was Susan Bones and Hermione Granger, but the two girls were not the ones to draws his eyes, it was the messy haired boy standing one floor above the girls that drew his attention, one Harry Potter.

As their eyes met, Dumbledore knew that the boy didn't not care that the troll was dead, the troll had been trying to kill him and Harry had responded by taking the trolls life. Dumbledore beckoned to Harry, who nodded before he began making his way down the stairs towards him, pausing only to get Susan and Hermione to follow him.

"What Happened Mr. Potter?" Dumbledore asked the boy minutes later when Harry and the two girls stood before him. And so Harry began the tale, from leaving the feast to use the bathroom right up to the point of the troll falling to its death.

Once Harry had finished his tale, it was clear to Dumbledore that Harry had not set out to kill the troll, when he had fired the Reducto curse at the back of the trolls knee he had intended for the troll to tumble down the stairs, giving himself and the two girls a chance to put as much distance between themselves and the troll as they could and hopefully draw the attention of the professors.

However as he looked into Harry's cold, emerald eyes he knew the boy was remorseless over the death of the troll and yet he still had to ask.

"Do you regret that you caused another being's death?" He asked Harry hoping for some kind of remorse from the boy.

"No the beast was trying to kill me and the ladies here, while I didn't set out to kill it, I will not lose sleep over its death either." Harry responded coldly causing the two girls to look at him in shock whilst Dumbledore looked at him sadly.

"Very well." Dumbledore said sadly.

"Headmaster, I take no pleasure from causing the death of the troll, but as I said it was trying to kill us." Harry informed Dumbledore who nodded his understanding.

Dumbledore wanted to condemn the boy for taking another's life but he found that he would have taken the trolls life in an instant if he had been in Harry's shoes. Of course he would have been full of remorse unlike Harry but he found that if he had to choose between his life and two of his students lives over the trolls then he would take the trolls every time.

"Very well Mr. Potter, for your act of bravery in saving the lives of Ms. Bones and Ms. Granger and dealing with a very real threat on the residents of Hogwarts, you shall receive an award for services to the school and let's see, 150 points to Slytherin." Dumbledore gave the boy a small smile.

"Thank you headmaster Dumbledore." Harry replied formally as he bowed his head towards Dumbledore in a show a respect.

"You are very welcome Mr. Potter and I thank you for saving the school from the troll." Dumbledore replied as he bowed his head towards Harry returning the boys show of respect.

"You're welcome sir, may I be excused to my common room if you don't need me?" Harry asked politely keeping his public mask of politeness up.

"Of course my boy." Said Dumbledore with a nod of his head.

"Good night headmaster, ladies." Harry said with a nod to the three before he turned and began making his way across the hall towards the stairs leading into the dungeons.

"Harry." a feminine voice called from behind him causing him to pause in his steps as he turned back to find Susan Bones racing towards him, Hermione not far behind her.

"I just wanted to thank you for saving our lives tonight, I doubt we would have gotten out of there alive if not for you, so I thank you for that." Susan said with a small smile as she looked Harry in the eyes.

"You're welcome Ms. Bones, think nothing of it but some day, and that day may never come, I will call upon you to do a service for me but until that day consider my help this evening a gift." Harry replied with a slight smirk as he quoted Don Corleone from the Godfather film that he had watched before he had learned about Hogwarts, when the Dursley's had been out for the day, he'd waited months for an opportunity to quote that phrase to someone.

"Sure thing Harry, I'll see you around." Susan smiled showing her ignorance of the Muggle world before she turned and began making her way towards Hufflepuff house.

"Yes, thank you for your help tonight Don Corleone." Hermione Granger smiled at Harry who snorted in reply.

"Your welcome Ms. Granger, good night." Harry replied with a small smile on his face before he turned back towards the stairs leading into the dungeons, he waited for it.

"Good night Godfather." Hermione called to him before she too began making her way towards Gryffindor house.

"I knew she'd call me that." Harry mumbled to himself with a small smile and a shake of his head as he began walking down the stairs into the dungeons.

End of chapter

_AN: so what do you all think? Was the wait worth it? Am I right in thinking that that was a different way of dealing with the troll? Please review. _


	6. Quidditch and Ministry Ball's

_AN: Once again I thank you all for your reviews, 208 for five chapters can't be bad. I would also like to thank everyone who gave me encouragement in my courses, you all demanded a quick update and you got my friends, here's the next chapter, enjoy._

**Quidditch and Ministry Ball's **

As they entered November, the weather turned very cold. The mountains around the school became icy gray and the lake like chilled steel. Every morning the ground was covered in frost. Hagrid could be seen from the upstairs windows defrosting broomsticks on the Quidditch field, bundled up in a long moleskin overcoat, rabbit fur gloves, and enormous beaverskin boots.

The Quidditch season had begun. On Saturday, Harry would be playing in his first match after weeks of training: Slytherin versus Gryffindor. If Slytherin won, they would move up into second place in the house championship.

Hardly anyone had seen Harry play because Flint had decided that, as their secret weapon, Harry should be kept, well, secret. But the news that he was playing had leaked out somehow, and Harry was getting sick of people telling him he'd be brilliant or people telling him they'd be running around underneath him holding a mattress. If they didn't shut up Harry was going to put them on a mattress. Permanently.

Harry learned that there were seven hundred ways of committing a Quidditch foul and that all of them had happened during a World Cup match in 1473; that Seekers were usually the smallest and fastest players, and that most serious Quidditch accidents seemed to happen to them; that although people rarely died playing Quidditch, referees had been known to vanish and turn up months later in the Sahara Desert.

The day before Harry's first Quidditch match he, Daphne and Tracy were out in the freezing courtyard during break, he'd conjured them each a bright blue fire that could be carried around in jam jars.

They were standing with their backs to it, getting warm, when Snape crossed the yard. Harry noticed at once that Snape was limping. He, Daphne, and Tracy moved closer together to block the fire's from view; they were sure it wouldn't be allowed. Though Harry was sure that Snape would not take points from them as Harry was his star pupil. He limped over.

"Are you ok Professor, do you want us to help you get to the hospital wing so you can have your leg looked at?" Harry asked when Snape was within earshot, playing the concerned student perfectly.

"That shall not be necessary Mr. Potter, I just twisted my ankle this morning, should be fine in a few days." Snape lied smoothly or so he thought, looking into Potter's icy eyes he got the strangest feeling that Potter knew he was lying. This was saying something since he could lie to Albus Dumbledore and Lord Voldemort and get away with it.

"Very well sir, how may we help you then?" Harry asked seemingly dropping the subject.

"I just came over to wish you luck in tomorrow's game, just in-case I didn't see you before the match." Snape replied honestly.

"Thank you sir, that was very nice of you." Harry replied politely with a slight smirk on his face. Snape and the rest of the school would get a shock at the game tomorrow.

"You're welcome, good luck then." Snape said before he turned around and began limping away wondering what the slight smirk on Harry's face was all about.

"Do you think he was telling the truth about twisting his ankle?" Daphne asked as she watched Snape limp away.

"No he was lying; he was bitten by a three headed dog on the forbidden third floor corridor." Harry replied with that same smirk on his face.

"How do you know that?" Tracy asked at the same time Daphne asked.

"What three headed dog?" Daphne asked in surprise and slight fear at the thought of a three headed dog.

Harry however just smirked at the two before dispelling the three fires and heading back towards the castle for the next lesson. Daphne and Tracy hurrying to catch up with him, asking about the dog the entire way, Harry however just smirked at them, frustrating the two girls to no end.

By eleven o'clock the next morning the whole school seemed to be out in the stands around the Quidditch pitch. Many students had binoculars. The seats might be raised high in the air, but it was still difficult to see what was going on sometimes.

Daphne and Tracy joined Theodore, Pansy Parkinson, Millicent Bulstrode and the rest of their house in the Slytherin section of the stands. As a surprise for Harry, they had painted a large banner. It read "Slytherin's Prince," and Theo, who was good at drawing, had done a large picture of Harry's face underneath the writing and on his head he wore a coiled viper to represent the house mascot, like a crown prince.

"Welcome to Quidditch! I'm your commentator, Lee Jordan! The Quidditch pitch has three goals at each end. The Chasers throw the Quaffle and try to put it through the hoops to score. Watch out for the Bludgers! These are charmed balls that can knock you off your broomstick! Two Beaters on each team try to keep them away. Remember, when the Snitch appears, it is worth one hundred and fifty points to the team whose seeker catches it." Third year Gryffindor Lee Jordan said into the megaphone, letting the gathered students know that the game was about to begin.

"And now introducing the teams, first up is the Gryffindor team led by captain and keeper, Oliver Wood, he's followed by the three chasers, Katie Bell, Angelina Johnson and Alicia Spinnet, who are followed by the two beaters Fred and George Weasley they are followed by Gryffindor's new seeker, third year Jason King." As Lee introduced the Gryffindor team the players flew out onto the pitch as their names were called, all the while the Gryffindor section of the stands was going wild with cheering and shouting. The Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw students clapped politely.

"And now the Slytherin team, they are led onto the pitch by captain and chaser, Marcus Flint, he is followed by seeker Terence Higgs who is followed by beaters Peregrine Derrick and Lucian Bole, followed quickly by keeper Miles Bletchley and the last two chasers Adrian Pucey and HARRY POTTEEEERRR." Just like the Gryffindor's, the Slytherin team flew onto the pitch as their names were called and their house supporters screamed and shouted their support; but when Harry's name was called as the last chaser the Slytherin supporters seemed to become unglued with their cheering, the entire section of the Slytherin stand seemed to tremble under the cheering and stamping students.

As Harry flew onto the pitch, he shot towards the middle before quickly spinning his broom to face the way he'd come whilst doing a handstand on his broom too the roaring approval of the Slytherin supporters. He just couldn't help it, the rush of adrenaline had gotten him pumped up for the game, he quickly joined his team mates on a quick lap around the pitch before they shot at the Gryffindor team, pulling away seconds before they all collided.

"The Slytherin team are all flying on new Nimbus 2000s, curtsey of their new chaser Harry Potter, who bought the house the new brooms, I should point out that Potter bought the brooms two weeks after he made the team and therefore he DID NOT buy his way onto the team." Lee Jordan informed the students as the two teams lined up ready for the game to begin.

"_That's why Potter was smirking yesterday."_ Head of Slytherin Severus Snape thought to himself with his own smirk as he sat with his house in the stands away from the rest of the professors who were all in the box reserved for the staff.

"The teams take their places as Madam Hooch steps out onto the pitch." Lee Jordan said into the megaphone the excitement evident in his voice. "The Bludgers are released, followed by the golden snitch, Hooch reaches into the create and removes the Quaffle ready to release it after she's spoken with the teams." He informed them, he was silent for a moment as Madam Hooch informed the teams that she wanted a nice clean game.

"THE QUAFFLE IS RELEASED AND THE GAME BEGINS." Lee roared into the megaphone. "Potter quickly snatches the Quaffle out from under Katie Bell's fingertips and Potter is off down the pitch, he dodges the Weasley twins and two Bludgers, look at him go, he dodges chasers Johnston and Spinnet. Potter is free as he barrels down the pitch towards the Gryffindor goals manned by Oliver Wood, Potter shoots left, no it was a fake, he shot right AND SCORES THE FIRST GOAL OF THE MATCH, TEN POINTS TO SLYTHERIN." The Slytherin supporters went wild as Harry scored the first goal in the first minute of the game. The Gryffindor team seemed to be slightly stunned by the quick goal but none more so than Oliver Wood who had never had someone score against him so quickly in a match, let-alone a first year student.

"Wood quickly releases the Quaffle back into the game, passing it to chaser Angelina Johnston who quickly begins racing towards the Slytherin goals, she passes to Katie Bell, who quickly passes to Alicia Spinnet, no Potter's there and steals the Quaffle and he's once more racing towards keeper Wood, he dodges a Bludger from one of the Weasley twins, can't tell which one, by Merlin this lad can fly, he shoots, TEN POINTS TO SLYTHERIN." The Slytherin section had barely had time to calm down from Harry's first goal before they were once more cheering their hearts out as the Gryffindor section of the stands groaned.

"Alicia Spinnet takes the Quaffle from Wood and she's off down the pitch, she dodges a Bludger hit by beater Bole, she passes to Angelina Johnston who races down the pitch, she passes to Katie Bell who shoots left, no it was a fake, she shot right TEN; NO, POTTER OUT OF NOWHERE APPEARS BEHIND THE SLYTHERIN GOAL AND PUNCHES HIS HAND THROUGH THE GOAL KNOCKING THE QUAFFLE AWAY BEFORE KATIE CAN SCORE, WHERE THE HELL DID POTTER COME FROM? The Gryffindor's groan once more because off Harry whilst the Slytherin's cheered the save.

"Nice one Potter." Keeper Miles Bletchley shouted at Harry with a laugh as the lad flew off back down the pitch.

"Potter shoots back into the middle of the pitch braking up the Gryffindor chasers formation allowing captain Marcus Flint to steal the Quaffle, Potter spins his broom around and shoots towards Gryffindor seeker Jason King who has no choice but to quickly dodge the incoming first year, BY MERLIN IT SEEMS THAT POTTER CAN DO IT ALL." Lee Jordan may have been a Gryffindor student but he was getting more and more excited the more he watched Harry play.

For the next hour Harry flew around the pitch like a demon. When he wasn't scoring goals or assisting goals, he was either braking up the Gryffindor chasers formations allowing Slytherin to steal the Quaffle or he was tormenting Gryffindor seeker Jason King, who after an hour was a nervous wreck. Slytherin seeker Terrence Higgs had free range as he looked for the Snitch as King was more interested in where Harry was and what he was doing than he was in looking for the Snitch.

It was as Harry scored his twentieth goal that it happened. His broom gave a sudden, frightening lurch. For a split second, he thought he was going to fall. He gripped the broom tightly with both his hands and knees. He'd never felt anything like that.

It happened again. It was as though the broom was trying to buck him off. But Nimbus Two Thousands did not suddenly decide to buck their riders off. Harry tried to turn - he had half a mind to ask Flint to call time-out - and then he realized that his broom was completely out of his control. He couldn't turn it. He couldn't direct it at all. It was zigzagging through the air, and every now and then making violent swishing movements that almost unseated him.

Lee was still commentating.

"Slytherin in possession - Flint with the Quaffle - passes Spinnet - passes Bell - hit hard in the face by a Bludger, hope it broke his nose - only joking, Professor - Slytherin's score - A no..."

The Slytherin's were cheering. No one seemed to have noticed that Harry's broom was behaving strangely. It was carrying him slowly higher, away from the game, jerking and twitching as it went.

"Dunno what Harry thinks he's doing," Theodore mumbled. He stared through his binoculars. "If I didn't know better, I'd say he'd lost control of his broom... but he can't have..." Suddenly, people were pointing up at Harry all over the stands. His broom had started to roll over and over, with him only just managing to hold on. Then the whole crowd gasped. Harry's broom had given a wild jerk and Harry swung off it. He was now dangling from it, holding on with only one hand.

"Did something happen to it when Weasley blocked him earlier?" Susan Bones asked in horror as she and the rest of the school watched Harry cling onto his broom for dear life, Harry was now over one hundred feet up, there was no-way he'd survive a fall from that height.

"Can't have," Hagrid said, his voice shaking. "Can't nothing interfere with a broomstick except powerful Dark magic - no kid could do that to a Nimbus Two Thousand." At these words, Hermione Granger seized Hagrid's binoculars, but instead of looking up at Harry, she started looking frantically at the crowd. She and Hagrid were sat in the Hufflepuff stands with Susan Bones and Hannah Abbott, who she had become friends with after Harry saved her and Susan on Halloween. Most of Hufflepuff house had heard about the troll and Harry's action to save one of their own and that was why they were cheering politely instead of outright supporting either Gryffindor or Slytherin.

"What are you doing." moaned Susan, gray-faced.

"I knew it," Hermione gasped, "Quirrell - look." Susan grabbed the binoculars. Quirrell was in the middle of the stands opposite them. He had his eyes fixed on Harry and was muttering nonstop under his breath. What they didn't see was Snape doing the exact same in the Slytherin stands as he tried to save his student.

"He's doing something - jinxing the broom," said Hermione.

"You've always said there was something off about him." Hannah commented in horror as she winced when Harry was nearly thrown from his broom.

What nobody realised was that Flint had scored five times as everyone's attention was on Harry and Terence Higgs was frantically searching for the snitch hoping to end the game so they could find out what was wrong with Harry's broom.

For the first time in living memory the Slytherin and Gryffindor beaters were working together as they circled under Harry, hoping that, between the four of them they could catch him should he fall.

"What should we do." Susan cried in near hysterics.

"Leave it to me." Before Susan could say another word, Hermione had disappeared. Susan turned the binoculars back on Harry. His broom was vibrating so hard, it was almost impossible for him to hang on much longer. The whole crowd was on its feet, watching, terrified, as the Weasley twins and Derrick and Bole flew up to try and pull Harry safely onto one of their brooms, but it was no good - every time they got near him, the broom would jump higher still. They dropped lower and circled beneath him, obviously hoping to catch him if he fell.

"Come on, Hermione," Susan muttered desperately.

Hermione had fought her way across to the stand where Quirrell stood, and was now racing along the row behind him; she didn't even stop to say sorry as she knocked Professor Sprout headfirst into the row in front.

Upon reaching Quirrell she spotted Daphne Greengrass who had arrived at the same time as she did. The two nodded at each other before they drew their wands and pointed them at Quirrell's robes and whispered a few, well- chosen words. Bright blue flames shot from their wands onto the hem of Quirrell's robes. Seconds later, the Professor was lit up like a blue roman-candle as the flames engulfed the man. Fortunately or unfortunately the flames did not hurt or burn the man or his robes and he was therefore unharmed as the two girls beat a hasty retreat, one thinking they'd gone a little overboard and one whishing that the flames acutely burned.

It was enough. Up in the air, Harry was suddenly able to clamber back on to his broom. Over in the Slytherin stand, Snape smirked as he watched Quirrell dance around on fire.

"_Shame the flames don't kill the bastard_." He thought to himself as he caught a glimpse of bushy hair and straight black hair retreating under the bench that Quirrell had sat on during most of the match.

"Twenty points to Gryffindor and Slytherin." He whispered to himself with a smirk. Nobody would ever know it but Snape had just given points to Gryffindor for the first time since he started teaching at Hogwarts.

"Tracy, you can look!" Theodore said. Tracy had been sobbing into his jacket for the last five minutes.

Suddenly the crowd gasped as they caught sight of Terence Higgs. He was speeding toward the ground when the crowd saw him clap his hand to his mouth as though he was about to be sick - he hit the field on all fours - coughed - and something gold fell into his hand.

"I've got the Snitch!" he shouted, waving it above his head, and the game ended in complete confusion.

Only Severus Snape seemed to see Harry turn towards Professor Quirrell (who was no longer lit up in blue flames.) with a murderous look on his face. As he went to intercept Potter, he was secretly glad that the look had not been directed at him. Hopefully he could get to Potter before he murdered the Professor in front of the entire school; the boy may have been 11 years old but Snape had no doubt that Potter would kill if given good enough reason and if what Quirrell had tried to do was not reason enough, Snape did not know what was.

_Headmaster's office, one hour later_

"IT WAS QUIRRELL." Snape roared at the Headmaster an hour after the match had ended. He had managed to intercept Potter but only just, Potter had very nearly gotten to Quirrell and Merlin knows what would have happened if he had.

"Yes I had heard that part of your explanation." Dumbledore replied calmly as he watched Snape pace back and forth in front of his desk. "Rest assured I shall keep a closer eye on Quirrell from now on." This how seemed to enrage the potions master further.

"KEEP AN EYE ON HIM WHAT GOOD WILL THAT DO YOU OLD FOOL." Snape bellowed spittle flying from his mouth in his rage. "THE STUTTERING BASTARD JUST TRIED TO KILL A STUDENT, THE VERY SAME STUTTERING BASTARD WHO LET A TROLL, A FUCKING _MOUTAIN TROLL_ INTO THE SCHOOL AND YOU'RE GOING TO KEEP A CLOSER EYE ON HIM. WELL NOW WE CAN ALL SLEEP EASIER AT NIGHT NOW THAT ALBUS DUMBLEDORE IS KEEPING AN EYE OUT. LOOK IN THE SKY, IS IT A BIRD, IS IT A PLANE, NOOO IT'S ALBUS "I'LL KEEP AN EYE ON HIM" DUMBLEDORE."

Dumbledore who had never heard his potions master rant and rave like he was doing now was very surprised, but when Snape spoke that last sentence, he lost it, he could not help himself, he cracked out laughing, a deep belly laugh.

"_What_ are you laughing at you old fool?" Snape hissed as he glared at the headmaster.

"Albus – ha-ha – I'll – ha-ha – keep - ha-ha- an - ha-ha eye - ha-ha - on – ha-ha - him – ha-ha – Dumbledore." The headmaster was able to gasp out as he continued laughing as Snape dropped into a chair in front of his desk with a scowl on his face. After five minutes the headmaster was able to compose himself and stop laughing.

"I am sorry my boy but that was the funniest thing I've heard you say in years." Dumbledore said with a chuckle.

"You are lucky that I was able to intercept Potter when I did, another minute and you would be searching for a new DADA professor." Snape said ignoring the headmaster's last statement.

"Surely Harry would not have killed Quirrell, he is only 11 years old after all." Dumbledore said gravely as he looked at his potions master with concern. All humour now gone from his face.

"Quirrell tried and very nearly killed him, Potter wants his head on a platter." Snape informed him in a voice that said he clearly agreed with Harry. "However, since I knew that you would have thrown a bitch-fit had that happened I managed to intercept Potter and get him to promise me not to go after Quirrell and to leave me too deal with him." He watched as the headmaster seemed to sag in relief and sadness.

"Thank you my boy, let us hope that Harry keeps his promise." Dumbledore replied minutes later. He seemed to accept the fact that Harry was a cold hearted boy and not the warm, loving boy he'd hoped for when he'd left Harry with his aunt and uncle all those years ago.

"Potter did inform me that he may be ruthless and remorseless when it comes to his enemies but he always keeps his promises when it's within his power to do so." Snape informed the headmaster who seemed to brighten up slightly hearing that.

"Well that is very good then." Dumbledore gave a small smile.

"Maybe." Muttered Snape. "But Potter also informed me that if he's not allowed to take revenge then he would not be attending any more of Quirrell's classes and that if the man should try something else, then all promises are off." He explained with a slight smirk; he almost wished that Quirrell would try something else just to see what Potter would do.

For the month leading up to the Christmas break Harry attended all of his classes, except Quirrell's. In the evenings he would train vigorously with Flint for an hour before he'd spend another hour learning new spells, ranging from offensive spells taught at Hogwarts to the dark arts in his books. He'd come across the killing curse_, Avada Kedavra_. He practiced the unforgivable for an hour on Saturday's and Sunday's, after a month he had almost mastered the spell. However it would be at least another a month before he mastered it fully as it was one of the hardest dark spells to master, fourth only to the mind control spell, the Imperious curse, the torture spell, the Cruciatus curse and the extremely powerful Fiendfyre.

As the Christmas break drew closer Harry was preparing himself for the Ministry ball and also having the dormitory he shared with Theodore all too himself. That was until Tracy came to him one evening.

"Hi Harry." Tracy smiled at him as she took a seat next to him in the common room.

"Ms. Davis." Harry greeted her formally as he always did no matter how much Tracy, Daphne and Theodore asked him to use their first names.

"What are you doing for Christmas break. Are you going spend it with your family?"

"The only family I have left are my aunt, uncle and cousin and I would rather cut out my own spleen and eat it than spend Christmas with them." Harry replied in a bland tone, yet Tracy got the feeling that he was speaking the absolute truth.

"They really that bad?" she asked after a moment. Harry's only reply was a short nod.

"To answer your question I plan to spend Christmas here on my own." Harry said as he finished his book and placed it onto the table before he relaxed back into his chair, closing his eyes as he did so.

"You can't spend Christmas on your own." Tracy informed him as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"I've spent the past ten Christmases alone and the rest of the years round, one more is hardly going to kill me." Harry replied without opening his eyes. He was trying to find his centre so he could connect fully with his magical core, he's read in one of his books that any witch or wizard who had connected fully with their magical cores could use magic even easier than they could without been fully connected to it and Harry wanted that almost as badly as he wanted Quirrell's head.

"Well regardless of that, I came over here to invite you to spend Christmas at my home with my family." Tracy informed him after watching him for a moment or two. That got Harry's attention.

"You're inviting me to spend Christmas with you and your family?" Harry asked in surprise though he did not show it. He'd never been invited to spend any day with any one let-alone Christmas day and he was very touched, though he'd never admit that.

"Yes, when I've written home to my parents I've mentioned you once or twice and they informed me that I could invite you to spend Christmas with us if you'd like." Tracy informed him with a smile. A smile that Harry was having a hard time not returning, though he managed to keep his face blank.

"I'll think about it." Harry said after a moment in which he was able to compose himself so his voice wasn't full of choked gratitude at being invited to Christmas. He'd learnt at an early age that showing emotion was weak and could lead to emotional pain. If he didn't show or feel emotion, then he could not be hurt. Harry had lived by that for the last five years and he'd be dammed if he stopped now.

"That's all I ask." Tracy said in a bright voice with a large smile on her face.

"Thank you for the invitation Ms. Davis, now if you will excuse me I have a matter that I must attend too." Harry informed her politely and formally before he got up and left the common room and went up to his dorm before he broke down crying at been invited to spend Christmas like a normal 11 year old boy, something the Dursley's had denied him for the last ten years.

After reaching his dorm, Harry was able to compose himself enough so that only a few tears leaked from his eyes. Once he was composed he began to gather a few belongings into a rucksack, after all he'd been invited to spend Christmas with the Davis family and he'd be damned if he'd miss the chance to spend Christmas like a normal boy, even if it was only once.

_Three days later, Christmas Eve_

Harry was in the guest bedroom of the Davis Family home getting ready for the Ministry ball that was to take place in an hour. The Davis family home was a modest, four bedroom, Muggle farmhouse that was surrounded by fields and woodlands for as far as the eye could see.

The Davis family home was located in the Welch countryside, the family bred all kinds of animals from the smallest chickens right the way up to the large bulls and every farm animal you could think of. The farm sold its products, milk, cows, sheep, eggs, chickens, wool and dogs they bred to both the Wizarding and Muggle worlds all up and down England. Well they didn't sell so many dogs in the Wizarding world, mainly in the Muggle one.

They also owned wool making factories and they also made leather from the slaughtered cow's skins. As well as producing milk from the milking cows, they also owned a factory that produced various other dairy products, such as cheese, cream and yogurt. They also bred various breeds of horses that they sold at various places. All in all the Davis family empire was worth millions in both the Wizarding and Muggle worlds.

As Harry looked into the floor to ceiling mirror in the corner of the room, he could not help but think that he looked very smart. He was wearing his black dress robes that he had bought in Diagon Alley before term began, his hair was stuck up all over like normal, except the tips , which he kept curled just like the hairdresser had done for him when he'd gone for a trim after he'd finished shopping in both worlds.

"Come in." He called after hearing a light knock at the door.

"Are you ready Harry?" Tracy asked him as she stepped into the room. Tracy was dressed in a black, full length dress. She had curled her normally straight Brunette hair so that it now cascaded down her back and over her shoulders in elegant curls, making Tracy looked very grown up for her young age.

"You look wonderful Ms. Davis." Harry said in a formal charming voice. "Not that you don't normally but you look exceptionally so this evening." He finished in a light tone instead of his normal cold tone.

"You look very handsome yourself Mr. Potter." Tracy replied with a faint blush at Harry's words.

"And too answer your question, yes I am ready." Harry said as he walked towards and out the door followed by Tracy who closed his door as she left the room.

"Good, Daphne has just arrived." She informed him as they began walking down the stairs. Harry and Daphne had agreed to meet at the Davis home, then go to the Ministry with the Davis's, though of course Harry and Daphne would not be dining with them as they had not been invited to sit at the Ministers table like Harry had.

"Good evening Ms. Greengrass, may I say you look exceptionally beautiful this evening." Harry said as he and Tracy reached the family room moments later. Daphne was dressed in a dress similar to Tracy's except Daphne's was navy blue, she too had curled her hair.

"Thank you Mr. Potter." Daphne blushed as Harry took her hand in his own before he bent his head to kiss the back of her hand.

"The perfect little gentleman." Lady Annabel Davis spoke with a large smile on her face. Lady Davis was a very beautiful woman with her high cheekbones, strong jaw, large smiling eyes and brunette locks, just looking at her Harry could tell where Tracy got her looks from. Annabel was dressed in a red, strapless, floor length evening gown.

"Well then shall we get going?" Lord Michael Davis asked them. Michael was a tall, broad man who closely resembled the Black family members in looks as his family were cousins of the dark family. However where the Black side of the family were dark and known Muggle haters, the Davis side were a neutral family that operated their family empire in both worlds. Lord Davis was dressed in very expensive dark green dress robes and looked very much the part of a Wizarding lord.

Ten minutes later found the five of them reaching the door in the Ministry that led into the ballroom. Standing in front of the door were four Auror's who all had their wands out ready for anything.

"Ah Lord Davis, you and your family are seated on the right, two tables down from the Ministers table." The door attendant informed Michael after the Auror's had done a sweep of them all with their wands and the attendant had looked at their invitation.

"Ah Mr. Potter, you and your guest are of course seated at the Ministers table." The attendant smiled at Harry and Daphne once he'd read the invitation. "The Ministers table is the largest table, situated in the middle of the room." he pointed towards the largest table in the room after which Harry thanked the man before he led Daphne over.

"Ah Harry my boy, lovely to see you again, and you Ms. Greengrass." Albus Dumbledore smiled at the two when they reached the table that the attendant directed them towards.

"Good evening Headmaster Dumbledore, I hope I find you well?" Harry asked in his perfectly polite and charming voice, his public mask firmly in place.

"Very well thank you for asking and yourself?" Dumbledore asked with a smile. He was very happy that so far, Harry had kept his promise and had not gone after Quirrell seeking retribution. Yet.

"Yes very well thank you sir." Harry replied before introducing Daphne properly even though Dumbledore knew who she was.

"Well Harry shall I introduce you to the Minister?" Dumbledore asked Harry after exchanging pleasantries with Daphne.

"If it is no trouble then that would be most welcome as I would like to thank the Minister for inviting me this evening." Harry replied politely.

"It is no trouble at all my boy." Dumbledore smiled as he began leading Harry and Daphne towards a short man who was stood talking with who could only be Draco Malfoy's mother and father. Draco himself was stood behind his father silently with his hands at his side and his back ramrod straight.

"Ah good evening Albus." The short wizard said to Dumbledore with a large smile as he spotted Dumbledore.

"Good evening Cornelius, May I introduce Mr. Harry Potter." Dumbledore greeted before gesturing at Harry. Fudge's eyes lit up as they landed on Harry's face.

"Ah Harry Potter, a pleasure to finally meet you." Fudge greeted as he held out his hand to Harry.

"No Minister, the pleasure and honour is all mine." Harry replied in that same charming voice as he shook Fudge's hand. He then produced a bottle from the inside of his robes, which he passed to Fudge.

"A token of my gratitude for being invited to such an event." He informed the portly man with a short bow.

"That is very generous of you Mr. Potter, thank you." Fudge said a large smile on his face as he took the aged bottle of Ogden's Firewhiskey.

"You are welcome Minister, may I introduce my date for this evening Ms. Daphne Greengrass." As Harry introduced Daphne he saw from the corner of his eye that Mr. Malfoy scowled ever so slightly as he looked at Daphne.

"A pleasure to meet you Ms. Greengrass." Fudge smiled as he kissed the back of Daphne's hand.

"The pleasure is all mine Minister." Daphne smiled as she held in a giggle at Mr. Malfoy's face.

"Well Mr. Potter may I introduce you to Lord Lucius Malfoy." Fudge said turning towards the Malfoy lord.

"A pleasure to meet you Lord Malfoy." Harry said with a smirk on his face that only Lucius saw as they shook hands.

"A pleasure to meet you also Mr. Potter." Malfoy said stiffly forcing himself not to sneer in front of the Minister. "May I introduce my wife, Lady Narcissa Malfoy." Lucius said formally as he indicated towards a very beautiful platinum blonde woman, dressed in very elegant blue dress robes.

"A pleasure to meet you Lady Malfoy." Harry murmured as he took Lady Malfoy's outstretched hand which he bent over and kissed ever so lightly. What no one saw was that Harry had his hand behind his back.

"A beautiful rose, for a beautiful lady." Harry said as he produced a red rose from behind his back which he then passed over to Narcissa, who took it with a large, warm smile. He had of course already given Daphne a rose before they came to the Ministry. He smirked slightly as he heard Lucius growl at him.

"Thank you Mr. Potter." Narcissa smiled at Harry as she attached the rose to her robes like Daphne had done. "It is a pleasure to meet such a gentleman." She gave Draco a look before smiling at Harry once more.

"_I wonder if she'd smile so warmly at me if she knew I'd given Draco his scar."_ Harry wondered to himself as Lucius very stiffly introduced Draco, after which Harry introduced Daphne to the three.

For the next ten minutes or so, Fudge introduced him to a horde of people, from Madam Amelia Bones who thanked him for saving Susan to Lady Longbottom and her grandson Neville. He was also introduced to Head Auror Rufus Scrimgeour, Bartemius Crouch, Albert Runcorn, Pius Thicknesse and a very short, ugly little witch dressed in pink robes named Dolores Umbridge, she reminded Harry and Daphne of a toad and her sickly sweat voice made Harry want to take a very hot shower, in fact he almost visibly cringed when he kissed the back of her hand. If he could, he would have ripped his own lips off and burned them after that.

"I need a long hot shower and new lips after that." Harry muttered to Daphne as they took their seats, Harry beside the Minister. Daphne giggled slightly as she sat in the seat that Harry had of course pulled out for her.

"Before we begin this excellent meal I would like to thank each and every one of you for coming this evening." Fudge said as he stood in front of the room looking around at everyone. He then spent the next five minutes waffling on before the meal began.

Throughout the meal Harry spoke with the Minister, Daphne and Narcissa. Every time he spoke with Narcissa he would compliment her, from her robes to her smile. This of course had Narcissa smiling largely as Lucius sat besides her doing his upmost not to scowl at Harry. By the time the meal finished, Lucius looked as though he was going to burst a vessel before strangling Harry, who kept smirking at him whenever Narcissa wasn't looking. It was clear that the Lord Malfoy very rarely, if ever paid his wife compliments and here Harry was showering her with them, showing him up.

Harry of course complimented Daphne as much as he did Narcissa and therefore by the time the meal finished both of them were smiling widely, whilst everyone in hearing range thought that Harry was the most charming 11 year old boy they had ever met.

"May I have this dance Ms. Greengrass." Harry asked once the meal was finished and the tables had been pushed to the sides to make way for the guests to dance.

"You may Mr. Potter." Daphne smiled at Harry as she allowed him to lead her onto the dance floor.

As they slowly waltzed around the dance floor, Harry was for the first time in his life thankful for aunt Petunia for forcing him to take dance classes for the last three years. The pair spoke of unimportant things as they danced. Harry danced with Daphne for another two songs before the pair went to get drinks.

"Do you mind if I dance with a few other ladies this evening?" Harry asked Daphne as they sipped their drinks and watched the dancers.

"Of course not Harry." Daphne replied with a smile. She knew that Harry was going eventually ask Narcissa for a dance to get under Lucius and Draco's skins but she was fine with that as long as she had a good time herself.

Harry then danced with Susan and Amelia Bones, Tracy and Annabel Davis and Lady Longbottom before he finally spotted Narcissa sitting by herself looking very bored as Lucius was talking with the Minister, Draco beside them. He made his way over.

"Lady Malfoy, May I have this dance?" Harry asked her with a short bow before he stretched his hand towards her.

"Of course Mr. Potter." Narcissa smiled at him as she placed her hand into Harry's allowing him to pull her from her seat and lead her onto the dance floor. Harry led her around the floor in a slow waltz. Ever so slowly and slyly, Harry steered them over near where Lucius and Draco stood.

When Lucius spotted Harry dancing near him, he sneered at him. However, the sneer had nothing on the glare he sent Harry when Harry spun Narcissa around in 360 turn so Lucius could get a quick glimpse of just _who_ Harry was dancing with. When Malfoy realised that Harry was dancing with his wife he almost blew a gasket on the spot as he glared his hardest at Harry, who just smirked in reply as he drew Narcissa even closer to him.

"I'm going to kill him." Lucius growled darkly to himself as he watched Harry's hand slide down Narcissa's back to rest dangerously close to his wife's ass. He watched as Harry's eyes glanced at his wife before looking back to him and Potter stuck his tongue out ever so slightly and he wagged it up and down quickly before replacing it back into his mouth. He growled once more as he got Potter's message as clear as day.

"Are you enjoying yourself Lady Malfoy." Harry asked her, whispering in her ear as they were almost the same size, Narcissa just an inch a so taller. He was looking Lucius in the eyes and smirking as he did, who was by now shaking in rage but Harry knew the Malfoy lord could do nothing about it.

"Very much so Mr. Potter." Narcissa whispered back as she closed her eyes while Harry led them in small circles around the dance floor, never leaving Lucius's sight and making sure the Malfoy lord could see the look of happiness on his wife's face.

"Please Lady Malfoy, call me Harry." He told her in a whisper, his hand now rested at the very top of her ass, two fingers actually resting on her ass cheek. Lucius's face was now red with rage as he completely ignored the minister and his son who had just spotted who Harry was dancing with.

Once the song ended Narcissa kissed Harry's cheek and thanked him before moving off to get a drink. Harry then turned to smirk at Lucius and Draco, giving them a quick middle finger salute before he moved off to find his date.

For the rest of the night Harry danced with Daphne, Tracy, Susan and Narcissa. Every time he danced with Lady Malfoy he always made sure either Lucius or Draco could see and he always made sure to keep his hand dangerously close to her ass, most times with a finger or two actually resting on it. The last dance he shared with Narcissa he placed his full hand on her ass as the song finished all the while smirking at Lucius, Lady Malfoy didn't seem to mind either or she was so absorbed in enjoying herself she just didn't notice.

Harry of course danced the last dance of the evening with Daphne before the two made their way to the exit. As they reached the door leading from the ballroom, Harry spotted the three Malfoy's stood there with the Minister.

"Good night Mr Potter, Ms. Greengrass." Fudge smiled at Harry and Daphne completely unaware of the glares Lucius and Draco were sending Harry.

"Good night Minister thank you for inviting me." Replied with a smile before he turned to look at the approaching Lady Malfoy.

"Harry, thank you for the dances tonight." Narcissa smiled at him as Lucius glared even harder at Harry.

"The Pleasure was all mine Narcissa." Harry replied with a smile and a short bow to the woman. Narcissa then moved towards him and went to kiss Harry on the cheek, Harry however moved his head ever so slightly that Narcissa ended up kissing the corner of Harry's mouth instead in plain view of the Malfoy males.

"You're a very bad boy Harry, winding my husband up all night." Narcissa whispered in his ear before kissing his cheek once more. It seemed that Narcissa had been well aware of what Harry had been doing all evening.

"That I am." Harry whispered back, Narcissa may have been aware of what he had been up to but it was well worth it. He had done exactly what he set out to do.

"Goodbye Lord Malfoy, Draco." Harry smirked as he and Daphne passed the two growling Malfoy males. Harry was in their heads and they all knew it.

Harry then led Daphne to the fireplaces so she could Floo home.

"Thank you for a wonderful evening Ms. Greengrass." Harry said as he bowed over Daphne's hand kissing the back as he did so.

"Thank _you_ Mr. Potter, not only did I get to have a wonderful time dancing but I also got to watch you torment the Malfoy males and get inside their heads." Daphne replied with a large smile. She had watched Harry's every dance with Lady Malfoy, she's seen everything he'd done and Lucius and Draco's reactions, she could not wait to tell her father in the morning, she was sure he'd have a good laugh at Harry's antics.

Goodnight Harry." Daphne said before she kissed him on the cheek a slight blush on her face.

"Goodnight Ms. Greengrass." Harry watched as Daphne Floo'd home before he Floo'd back to the Davis Family home (The Davis's had gone home an hour ago) Harry James Potter may have been 11 years old but he knew exactly how to get inside someone's head.

End of chapter

_AN: well what do you all think? How was the Quidditch match, it was my first time writing one. What did you think of the Ministry ball and Harry getting inside Lucius's head? The reason I say that the killing curse is not as powerful as the other three is because a wizard fires one shot of magic from his wand for the killing curse, whilst with the other three you need to constantly pour magic into the spells to keep them going and thus they would take a lot more power and a powerful wizard to maintain them. Please review_.


	7. The Mirror of Erised

_AN: once again thank you for the reviews of the last chapter._

**The Mirror of Erised**

_The most basic form of Occlumency, involves clearing one's mind — making it "blank and empty" — in order to prevent a Legilimens from perceiving one's emotions and thoughts. More advanced Occlumency involves suppressing only the thoughts, emotions, and memories that would contradict whatever it is an Occlumens wishes a Legilimens to believe; hence, it is not obvious that Occlumency is being used even if the person is lying. It requires a great deal of will power, as with resisting the Imperius Curse, as well as a high degree of mental and emotional discipline. It is also one method of resisting the influence of Veritaserum. Occlumency is one of the hardest forms of magic to master and is therefore not taught at Hogwarts or at Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. Though rumours that Durmstrang Institute teaches the art to its students have cropped up over the years, this however has neither been denied nor confirmed by anyone at the school._

_Masters of Occlumency are able to build shields around their minds and thoughts, thus making it harder for a Legilimens to penetrate into their mind. Master's who have shields around their minds can also throw off the Imperius curse faster than they could if they were a master in the art yet did not have shields around their minds, this is also true for Veritaserum and other Potions such as Amortentia the most powerful love Potion to date and the potion of rage, which sends the drinker into a hate filled rage, destroying everyone and everything in their paths. _

It was early Christmas morning and Harry Potter sat at his desk in the bedroom at the Davis home which he was using. The desk which he sat at was placed in front of the window of the room, which looked out onto the snow covered fields that surrounded the home. If he took the time and looked carefully, Harry would have been able to spot the tracks in the snow he had made that morning as he went for his usual run.

Unlike children the world over his age, Harry Potter did not care that it was Christmas morning and that presents were to be opened soon. He had never received a present that he could remember; he supposed his mother and father probably bought him presents on his first Christmas. However since the Dursley's had never bought him a present in his life he saw no reason to get excited on Christmas morning. He had of course bought a present for each of the Davis's as a thank you for allowing him to spend Christmas with them and he had also bought Daphne and her younger sister one also.

Therefore on that cold December morning, instead of bouncing excitably around the house, Harry sat at the desk in the room he was using, studying the mind art, Occlumency. He knew that one day Voldemort would return to restart his war on the Wizarding world and Harry would be the centre of his attention, thus been able to protect his mind would be a great advantage to Harry.

This was how Tracy found him some two hours later, still sat at the desk pouring over his book on the mind arts.

"Merry Christmas Harry." Tracy spoke to him happily as she bounced into his room, a large bright smile on her young face.

"Merry Christmas Ms. Davis." Harry replied not even looking up from his book as he continued to read.

"Come on downstairs, presents are going to be opened soon and Daphne and her family will be here in ten minutes." Tracy informed him in a fast voice due to her excitement. Ever since she could remember she and Daphne had spent Christmas day together either here or at Daphne's family home.

"You go ahead Ms. Davis, I wish to continue studying." Harry replied in a flat polite tone still not looking up from his book.

"Don't you want to join us?" Tracy asked in confusion wondering why Harry would rather be up here studying instead of downstairs opening presents.

"No." Harry answered simply. Truth was he did not wish to sit downstairs watching as everyone opened their presents like a third wheel. He knew he had no presents to open so what was the point in going down and burdening the families with his presence as they opened their presents.

"Ok, well if you're sure." Tracy replied in slightly sad tone as she realised that Harry had probably never had a reason to celebrate Christmas and therefore saw no reason to join them downstairs opening presents.

Turning round, Tracy quietly left the room closing the door behind her before she slowly made her way downstairs all the while wondering just what kind of life Harry Potter had led up till now. As she entered the family room she noticed that Daphne and her family had arrived for the present opening that took place every year before a large Christmas breakfast.

"Merry Christmas Tracy." Daphne called to her being the first to spot the quietly thinking girl causing everyone's attention to turn to her. "Where's Harry?" she asked as she realised that Tracy was alone.

"He's in his room." Tracy replied in quiet, distant voice.

"Is he not coming to join us?" Her father Michael asked with a confused look on his face.

"He said that he wants to continue studying." Tracy answered in that same distant voice.

"Studying, but does he not want to open his presents and celebrate Christmas?" Her mother Annabel asked also in confusion wondering why an 11 year old boy would rather be studying alone instead of opening presents on Christmas morning.

"Oh mum I don't think he's had a reason to celebrate Christmas in the last 10 years." Tracy cried as she rushed into her mother's arms, sobbing for the life in which her friend had led so far.

"No reason to celebrate Christmas, what makes you think that?" Alexander Greengrass asked his eyes narrowed in thought. Alexander was a tall, powerfully built man, standing a little less than 6"3 and broad in the chest and shoulder areas. His jet black hair was slightly curly and cut short, his black eyes were sharp and calculating.

"Because before I invited him to spend Christmas here I asked him what he was doing for Christmas." Tracy sniffed in a muffled voice as she was still wrapped in her mothers' arms.

"What did he say?" Her mother asked in a gentle voice as she lightly rocked her daughter trying to sooth her.

"That he was spending Christmas alone at the castle." Tracy answered with a hiccup.

"So why does that mean he's not had a reason to celebrate Christmas in the last 10 years?" Patricia Greengrass asked her in a quiet tone. Patricia was the double of her daughters Daphne and Astoria or rather they were the double of her, long silky jet black hair with violet eyes.

"Because he said that he'd spent the last 10 Christmases alone and that another would not kill him." Tracy answered as she pulled away from her mothers' arms to look at everyone in the room. Every face in the room seemed to be sad or in the case of the men, slowly turning to scowling.

"He lives with his aunt and uncle does he not?" Her father asked in hard tone.

"Yes." Tracy and Daphne answered in unison.

"And yet the boy has spent every Christmas and I'm assuming birthday alone." Michael mused before turning to look at Alex who nodded and the two began moving towards the fireplace.

"Where are you going?" Annabel and Patricia asked their respective husbands.

"To see Dumbledore and find out just why in the hell Potter has spent Christmas alone in the past when he lives with his family." Michael answered before he and Alex vanished through the fire both with hard determined looks on their faces as they went.

"I'm going to talk to Harry." Annabel informed them before she left the room.

_Hogwarts great hall_

The professors and students staying at the castle for the Christmas holidays were just sitting down to breakfast when the doors burst open and two very angry looking men came striding through into the great hall. The two men looked around the hall before their eyes locked onto the headmaster who they began making a beeline towards.

"Merry Christmas Lord's Greengrass and Davis." Dumbledore smiled as he stood from his seat to greet the two angry men.

"You, me, talk _NOW_." Michael snarled angrily as he pointed towards a door to the side of the hall.

"Of course." Dumbledore answered slightly surprised at the rage in the man's tone. He had an idea who this was about, though not what. He began leading them towards the door silently.

"Perhaps you should come along Professor Snape as this involves one of your students." Alex said to the man as they passed him on their way to the door. Silently the four men left the great hall as the professors and remaining students watched them go wondering what this was all about.

"Now how may I help you gentlemen?" Dumbledore asked the two in his kind grandfather voice hoping to defuse their anger slightly, if not entirely.

"You can start by telling us just why Harry Potter has spent the last 10 Christmases alone when he lives with his aunt and uncle." Michael spat at the headmaster. His eyes were burning with rage as he glared at the old Headmaster.

"Perhaps if you start at the beginning and how you came to be here." Dumbledore requested of them with his eyes closed. He wanted to know everything about their accusation before he made a decision in what to do. For the next five minutes the two men explained everything that Tracy had told them about Harry wishing to study in his room alone instead of joining in the Christmas celebration with them all. How Harry had originally planned to spend the holiday alone like he had for the last ten years.

"They made him spend Christmas alone." Dumbledore moaned sadly too himself before falling silent for a few minutes as he decided what the best option to take was.

"I think it is time to begin investigations into the Dursley's treatment of young Harry." Dumbledore spoke up after thinking it over. It was really the only thing to do and should have been started long before now.

"Good and I shall begin proceedings into adopting Harry into my family and if you try and stop me I will make you _wish_ Voldemort and Grindelwald were still running around." Michael informed the headmaster with a hard edge in his voice, to which Dumbledore paled slightly. It was tone of voice and implications that made him pale, not the fact that Michael wanted to adopt Harry.

"Rest assured I will not stand in your way as you try to gain custardy of young Harry, in fact I will support your case in front of the Wizengamot." Dumbledore replied with a smile. He had been looking into finding Harry alternate living arrangements for the summer holidays and here one had fallen into his lap so to speak. So far he had only been able to get the Weasley parents to agree to take young Harry into their home. However, as he suspected that Harry was the one to attack Ronald Weasley, though he knew he could never prove that, he knew that those two under the same roof was asking for trouble. Well for Ronald anyway, he knew Harry could handle himself well enough, taking out a full grown troll proved that fact.

"Good, well if you will excuse me I have to get back to my family." Michael said before he and Alex left the chamber silently. As they left they could hear Snape begin to lay into the old Headmaster with his own unique, harsh words. They waited until they were walking across the grounds before speaking.

"He caved very quickly." Alex mused referring to how fast Dumbledore had agreed with Michael.

"Indeed, I would bet my bottom Galleon that he knew how Harry was been treated in the past or at the very least he suspected." Michael replied with a shake of his head. Even if he only suspected, the headmaster should have opened investigations into Harry's past treatment much sooner than he had.

"I wonder how Anna and Tracy will react when you inform them you're going to try and adopt Potter." Alex mused with a laugh as they continued down the grounds towards the gates.

"They'll be thrilled; Anna has always wanted a son and Tracy a brother. Potter is the one who worries me." Michael replied as they passed through the gates.

"How do you mean?" Alex asked as they prepared to Apparate back to the Davis home.

"There is something dangerous about Harry Potter lurking beneath the surface, as though making an enemy of him could end up being the last mistake you ever make." Michael replied in a quiet tone as he looked off into the distance.

"If you think he's dark then why do you want to adopt him?" Alex asked his old friend in confusion.

"I think he's dark, very dark in fact but not evil." Michael began as he turned to face Alex. "If the boy were evil he would not have saved Daphne and Tracy from those three thugs on the train nor would he have saved those two girls from the troll on Halloween but I also think that when he's older making an enemy of him will be very, very dangerous." He explained as Alex nodded in agreement. Though he had not yet met Harry, Alex had heard enough about Harry Potter to know he was very powerful for his young age.

"I understand what you're saying old friend, shall we get back." Alex asked with a smile on his face. He was looking forward to his Daughter's faces as they opened their presents. That was his real Christmas present, seeing the joy on his families faces.

"Yes, let's get back before they send out a search party."Michael said with a laugh before the two Apparated away quietly.

"What happened?" Anna asked them the moment they appeared in the family room. The first thing the two noticed was Harry sitting on one of the couches between Daphne and Tracy with Astoria next to her sister. His face was blank but Alex and Michael could see the surprise in the young boy's eyes, no doubt surprised he had presents to open for the first time in ten years.

"What we had hoped." Michael replied before he turned to Harry. "The headmaster is going to begin investigating your aunt and uncles treatment of you." He informed the lad who nodded his understanding.

"Good maybe they will pay for their sins." Harry spoke so quietly that they had to strain their ears to hear him. He then turned and looked Michael in the eyes for a full minute before he spoke again.

"You have something more on your mind Lord Davis, something that is making you a little nervous." Harry said in a smooth tone and a light smirk on his face as he watched Michael gulp slightly.

"How did you know that?" Michael asked impressed with how easily Harry had read him and yet nervous at the same time.

"Your eyes gave away your nervousness for a split second, had I not been looking I would not have known, plus you gulped as I spoke that and now you're wiping your hands on your clothes, indicating sweaty palms." Harry spoke in a quiet voice smirking the entire time, playing with Michaels mind a little for his own amusement. Though he had no ill will towards the man, he enjoyed playing with people's mind for his own fun.

"I see what you mean; he scares the shit out of me." Alex muttered in his friends ear as quietly as his could. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked once more, however Michael nodded before standing straighter and beginning to speak.

"I also informed Dumbledore that I am going to start proceedings into adopting you into our family." Michael spoke in a strong voice. He heard his wife and daughter gasp in surprise but he did not take his eyes off of Harry's icy ones.

"Why?" Harry asked in a quiet voice that nonetheless demanded nothing but the truth.

"Because nobody deserves the life you have led, I, of course know nothing off your life but you spending the last ten Christmases alone tells' me you have not had a pleasant one thus far." Michael answered truthfully his eyes never moving from Harry's. Something told him that if he lost eye contact with Harry, the boy would believe him to be lying.

"Answer me this, are you doing this out of kindness or a publicity stunt covered up as a kind gesture?" Harry asked in that same quiet tone even as Tracy all but vibrated in excitement beside him.

"I am doing this out of kindness nothing more." Michael answered simply, truthfully.

"Thank you sir." Harry spoke after a full minute's silence. He could not believe it; very soon he could have the one thing he'd always wanted as a child, a family. On that cold December morning Harry James Potter began to believe that there were people in the world who wanted him in their lives as something more than a cook, cleaner and punching bag.

Harry unexpectedly found himself in a bone-crushing hug from Tracy, at first he froze but after a moment he relaxed and hugged the petite girl back gently. For now he would keep the Prophecy to himself, they did not need to know that one day in the future he would be fighting a war against Lord Voldemort.

"Damn Harry you seem to be made off rock." Tracy said with a watery laugh as she poked Harry in the chest. "I always wanted a little brother." She laughed as she pulled him back for another hug.

"Little, I think you'll find that I'm quite a lot taller than you." Harry said with a small, yet true smile. His first true smile in years.

"That maybe but you are still a month younger than me; hence you're my little brother." Tracy replied with a bright smile. The adoption process had not even started yet but Tracy saw Harry as her brother and hopefully soon it would be official.

"Welcome to the family Harry." Annabel smiled widely as she passed him a wrapped present.

Opening the present Harry found a plain black beanie-hat and woolly gloves along with a photo album that had the Potter family crest on the front cover. Looking through the album, he saw pictures of who could only be his parents throughout their years at Hogwarts. On the first page was a boy who looked so much like him that if he didn't know better he would have sworn it was him, the only difference between them was their eye colour and the fact that Harry was a head taller than the 11 year old James in the photograph.

On the page next to James was a photo of a young pretty girl, with thick dark red hair that fell to her shoulders and bright green almond-shaped eyes, the same eyes as Harry's. As he looked upon the two photos, Harry realised that this was the first time he had ever laid eyes on his parents' faces. As he continued looking through the album Harry saw pictures of his parents throughout their entire life at Hogwarts and beyond. The one thing Harry noticed was that they always seemed to be surrounded by friends and they were smiling in every picture, which made Harry smile, especially every time he looked at his mothers' bright, smiling face.

For the rest of the morning Harry and the Davis's and Greengrass's continued opening presents, from Daphne he received an emerald green hooded jumper, across the front read the words "Halfblood and Proud." In large silver letters; across the back read the words "Slytherin's Prince." Also in large silver letters. Astoria passed him a present whilst blushing brightly as he took it with a smile and a thank you, opening the gift Harry found an assortment of wizard sweets. From Michael, he received a jet-black dragon hide trench coat that fell down to his ankles and was charmed to grow with him, so, as long as he took care of it he could wear the coat for the next twenty years if he so wished. The coat was also charmed to repel minor jinxes and hexes and to be self cleaning and repairing. However it was his last gift that had Harry smirking once more

"Wow, I know what that is." Tracy said loudly in excitement as she looked upon the fluid, silvery gray and gleaming from the light in the room. Everyone in the room turned to look at the pair, the four adults gasped as they laid eyes upon the cloak in Harry's hands.

"What is it?" Harry asked as he held the cloak in his hands, it was strange to the touch, like water woven into material.

"It's an invisibility cloak," said Tracy, a look of awe on her face. "I'm sure it is - try it on." Harry threw the cloak around his shoulders and Daphne across the room gave a yell of surprise as Astoria looked at Harry, her jaw hanging open.

"It is! Look down!" Harry looked down at his feet, but they were gone. As it sunk in that he had a cloak that rendered him invisible, he began to smirk widely. He could sneak into the restricted section of the library and get book on more advanced magic not taught at Hogwarts and not just the dark arts either.

"There's a note!" said Tracy suddenly. "A note fell out of it!" Harry pulled off the cloak and seized the letter. Written in narrow, loopy writing he had never seen before were the following words:

_Your father left this in my possession before he died.  
>It is time it was returned to you. Use it well.<em>

_A Very Merry Christmas to you._

There was no signature. Harry stared at the note, for a full minute before he passed it over to Tracy who read the note before passing it to her mother. Soon the note had been passed round the room.

"Dumbledore." Michael and Alex said in unison. "I'd recognise his handwriting anywhere." Michael continued as Alex nodded his agreement. Only Michael and Alex seemed to see Harry's eyes become calculating as he looked at the cloak once more.

All in all this was the best Christmas of Harry's young life. For dinner they had two fat, roast turkeys; mountains of roast and boiled potatoes; platters of chipolatas; tureens of buttered peas, silver boats of thick, rich gravy and cranberry sauce - and stacks of wizard crackers every few feet along the table. These fantastic party favours were nothing like the feeble Muggle ones the Dursley's usually bought, with their little plastic toys and their flimsy paper hats inside. Harry pulled a wizard cracker with Astoria and it didn't just bang, it went off with a cannon like blast and engulfed them all in a cloud of blue smoke, while from the inside exploded a real admiral's hat and several live, white mice. Flaming Christmas puddings followed the turkey. Alex nearly broke his teeth on a silver sickle embedded in his slice. When Harry finally left the table, he was laden down with a stack of things out of the crackers, including a pack of non-explodable, luminous balloons, a Grow-Your-Own-Warts kit, and his own new wizard chess set.

The white mice had disappeared and Harry had a feeling they were going to end up as Hedwig's Christmas dinner. If they hadn't already, his owl was fast after-all.

Harry, Daphne, Tracy and Astoria spent a happy afternoon having a furious snowball fight on the grounds. Then, cold, wet, and gasping for breath, they returned to the fire in the family room, where Harry broke in his new chess set by losing spectacularly to Daphne. He suspected he wouldn't have lost so badly if Tracy hadn't tried to help him so much.

After a meal of turkey sandwiches, crumpets, trifle, and Christmas cake, everyone felt too full and sleepy to do much before bed except sit and watch Astoria chase Daphne and Tracy all over the room because they'd stolen her Barbie-doll that Harry had gotten her, she was 7 after all and would not join them at Hogwarts until Harry, Daphne and Tracy were starting their fourth year.

It had been Harry's best Christmas day ever. Full of turkey and cake and with nothing mysterious to bother him, fell asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow.

_Hogwarts two months later_

The Restricted Section was right at the back of the library. Stepping carefully over the rope that separated these books from the rest of the library, he held up his lamp to read the titles. They didn't tell him much. Their peeling faded gold letters spelled words in languages Harry couldn't understand. Some had no title at all. One book had a dark stain on it that looked like blood. Maybe he was imagining it, maybe not, but he thought a faint whispering was coming from the books, as though they knew someone was there who shouldn't be.

He had to start somewhere. Setting the lamp down carefully on the floor, he looked along the bottom shelf for an interesting looking book. A large black and silver volume caught his eye. He pulled it out with difficulty, because it was very heavy, and, balancing it on his knee, let it fall open.

A piercing, bloodcurdling shriek split the silence - the book was screaming! Harry snapped it shut, but the shriek went on and on, one high, unbroken, ear-splitting note. He froze as he heard footsteps coming. Quickly he put the book back and turned off the lamp. He ran for it, knowing he'd be in big trouble if he were caught out in the castle past curfew. He passed Filch in the doorway; Filch's pale, wild eyes looked straight through him, and Harry slipped under Filch's outstretched arm and streaked off up the corridor, the book's shrieks still ringing in his ears.

He came to a sudden halt in front of a tall suit of armour. He had been so busy getting away from the library; he hadn't paid attention to where he was going. Perhaps because it was dark, he didn't recognize where he was at all. There was a suit of armour near the kitchens, he knew, but he must be five floors above there.

"You asked me to come directly to you, Professor, if anyone was wandering around at night, and somebody's been in the library's Restricted Section." Harry felt the blood drain out of his face. Wherever he was, Filch must know a shortcut, because his soft, greasy voice was getting nearer, and to his horror, it was Snape who replied.

"The Restricted Section. Well, they can't be far, we'll catch them." Harry stood rooted to the spot as Filch and Snape came around the corner ahead. Harry knew his head of house would be disappointed in him if he were caught now. They couldn't see him, of course, but it was a narrow corridor and if they came much nearer they'd knock right into him - the cloak didn't stop him from being solid.

He backed away as quietly as he could. A door stood ajar to his left. It was his only hope. He squeezed through it, holding his breath, trying not to move it, and to his relief he managed to get inside the room without their noticing anything. They walked straight past, and Harry leaned against the wall, breathing deeply, listening to their footsteps dying away. That had been close, very close. It was a few seconds before he noticed anything about the room he had hidden in.

It looked like an unused classroom. The dark shapes of desks and chairs were piled against the walls, and there was an upturned wastepaper basket - but propped against the wall facing him was something that didn't look as if it belonged there, something that looked as if someone had just put it there to keep it out of the way.

It was a magnificent mirror, as high as the ceiling, with an ornate gold frame, standing on two clawed feet. There was an inscription carved around the top: _"Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi"_

"I show not your face but your heart's desire." Harry spoke aloud as he read the writing backwards. He moved nearer to the mirror, wanting to look at himself but see no reflection again.

He stepped in front of it.

There he was, reflected in it, white and scared-looking, and there, reflected behind him, were at least ten others. Harry looked over his shoulder - but, no one was there.

A woman standing right behind his reflection was smiling at him and waving. She was a very pretty woman. She had dark red hair and her eyes were just like his own except where hers were smiling, his were icy. It was his mother Lily he knew. But then he noticed that she was crying; smiling, but crying at the same time as she gazed lovingly at him.

The tall, thin, black-haired man standing next to her put his arm around her. He wore glasses, and his hair was very untidy. It stuck up all over his head, just as Harry's did. As he looked up into their loving faces, Harry began to feel a powerful emotion buried deep within him stir.

"I will avenge you." Harry said to his parents in the mirror in a voice full of emotion. "If it's the last thing I ever do I will take Voldemort's life for taking you away from me." He continued to gaze into their faces not even looking at the other people behind his mother and father.

The Potters smiled and waved at Harry and he stared hungrily back at them, his hands pressed flat against the glass as though he was hoping to fall right through it and reach them. He had a powerful burning fire of revenge inside him and the more he looked into his mother and fathers' faces the more his fire of revenge grew.

How long he stood there, he didn't know. The reflections did not fade and he looked and looked until a distant noise brought him back to his senses. He couldn't stay here; he had to find his way back to bed. Glancing out of the window showed that the sun was beginning to rise; he'd been there all night.

He looked back into his mother's face. "I'll come back tonight." and hurried from the room.

Over the next three weeks, Tracy, Daphne and Theodore saw a change in Harry. Before they thought he was mastering spells fast, but now he seemed to master them twice as quickly as he had. He always had his nose in a book or practising spells in his dorm. They had found out about his duelling lessons with Flint and went to watch them on occasion, as the weeks went on, Harry was getting closer and closer to beating the 7th year boy in a duel.

In the three weeks since he had first seen his parents, Harry had managed to master all of the unforgivable curses, the skull crushing curse and the bone-breaker, along with other offensive curses used in duels. All the while his burning fire of revenge grew larger every night when he went to see his mother and father for a few hours. All in all, Lord Voldemort had made the biggest mistake of his life when he killed Harry's mother and father on Halloween all those years ago.

And there were his mother and father smiling at him again, and one of his grandfathers nodding happily. Harry sank down to sit on the floor in front of the mirror. There was nothing to stop him from staying here all night with his family. Nothing at all.

Except:

"So - back again, Harry." Harry felt as though his insides had turned to ice. He looked behind him. Sitting on one of the desks by the wall was none other than Albus Dumbledore. Harry must have walked straight past him, so desperate to get to the mirror he hadn't noticed him.

"I didn't see you there sir."

"Strange how nearsighted being invisible can make you," said Dumbledore, and Harry was relieved to see that he was smiling. Maybe he could keep his perfect record of not losing house-points or getting a detention.

"So," said Dumbledore, slipping off the desk to sit on the floor with Harry, "you, like hundreds before you, have discovered the delights of the Mirror of Erised."

"Yes sir." Harry replied as he turned back to the mirror.

I expect you've realized by now what it does." The headmaster asked him but Harry didn't reply as he continued to gaze into his mothers eyes.

"Can you think what the Mirror of Erised shows us all?" Harry shook his head. He knew what the mirror did but he had forgotten over the last three weeks in his thirst to master more spells and magic.

"Let me explain. The happiest man on earth would be able to use the Mirror of Erised like a normal mirror that is; he would look into it and see himself exactly as he is. Does that help?" Dumbledore asked in a soft voice as he continued to look at Harry who was still gazing into his mother's eyes.

Harry thought. Then he said slowly, "It shows us what we want... whatever we want..."

"Yes and no," said Dumbledore quietly. "It shows us nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts. You, who have never known your family, see them standing around you. However, this mirror will give us neither knowledge or truth. Men have wasted away before it, entranced by what they have seen, or been driven mad, not knowing if what it shows is real or even possible." He finished in quiet warning tone.

"But I'm not wasting away nor am I being driven mad, this mirror showing me my Mother and father is helping me become stronger." Harry spoke softly after awhile still not looking away from the mirror.

"What do you mean Harry?" Dumbledore asked in that same soft tone as he too turned to look in the mirror.

"Every time I see their faces my desire for revenge upon Lord Voldemort grows by the day, I know he will return one day and he will set his sights on me. When that day comes I will be ready and I will show him that attacking my family all those years ago and taking my parents from me was his biggest mistake."

For the longest time the pair were silent. Dumbledore was happy that Harry was so set against Voldemort that he no longer had to worry if Harry would have joined the Dark Lord when he one day returned. He did not know how Harry knew that Voldemort would return one day, but really he didn't care. It seemed as though Harry was preparing himself for his eventual showdown with the evil being known as Lord Voldemort.

"The Mirror will be moved to a new home tomorrow, Harry, and I ask you not to go looking for it again. If you ever do run across it, you will now be prepared. It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that. Now, why don't you put that admirable cloak back on and get off to bed." Harry stood up and left the room heading back to his dorm with only a nod and a goodnight to the old headmaster.

_June_ _9__th_

Harry lay on his bed in his dormitory relaxing after completing his final end of year exam, history of magic. Last week, he and the rest of the Slytherin Quidditch team had absolutely slaughtered the Hufflepuff team to win the Quidditch cup. Neither team had caught the Snitch as the 500-0 mercy rule had been invoked. Basically if one team managed to score 500 points and the other team scored nothing, then the mercy rule was applied and the team who scored 500 points won the game automatically. The mercy rule had not been called at Hogwarts for more than a hundred years but thanks to Harry's 40 goals and Pucey and Flint's five goals apiece, Madam Hooch had had no choice but call the mercy rule.

As he lay on his bed watching as the sun began to set, listening to a band on the Wizarding wireless network (WWN) Theodore entered the room. "Hey Harry, an owl just came for you in the common room." He then passed over a jet black envelope to Harry who nodded his thanks.

Harry sat up on his bed as Theodore went over to his own bed. Opening the envelope, he pulled out blood red parchment that had jet-black writing. Unfolding the letter, it read:

_Potter_

_How does it feel to know that you failed all those years ago?  
>Failed to kill me and that I still live. That all your fame is undeserved.<br>I have your two friends Ms. Davis and Ms. Greengrass, if you wish for  
>them to live I suggest you meet me at the end of the forbidden corridor<br>on the third floor. Come alone! You have one hour to get here or one of  
>these pretty girls dies.<em>

_Lord Voldemort _

_AN: I'll end it here as this seems a good place for a cliff-hanger (Smirks evilly) how was it? Please review. _


	8. The Man With Two Faces

_AN: I apologize for the delay but this week has been nuts. Hope you all had a wonderful and safe Christmas and you're hangovers were not too bad Ha-ha, anyway on with the story._

**The Man With Two Faces**

_Potter_

_How does it feel to know that you failed all those years ago?  
>Failed to kill me and that I still live. That all your fame is undeserved.<br>I have your two friends Ms. Davis and Ms. Greengrass, if you wish for  
>them to live I suggest you meet me at the end of the forbidden corridor<br>on the third floor. Come alone! You have one hour to get here or one of  
>these pretty girls dies.<em>

_Lord Voldemort_

As he finished reading the note he felt a cold rage building inside. It was in that moment that Harry realised just how much Tracy and Daphne meant to him. Tracy was about to become his adopted sister and Daphne was, dare he say it, his friend. Yes both Tracy and Daphne were his friends and he would be damned if he allowed some jumped up want-to-be Dark Lord kill his two friends. Because that's all Voldemort was to Harry, a want-to-be. The man had had legions of dark witches and wizards and dark creatures at his command when he first tried to take over Wizarding England and if the man could not do it in 12 years, well in Harry's eyes he was not worthy of been called a Dark Lord.

Even though a cold rage was bubbling inside him, Harry did not charge out the door heading towards the third floor, he sat on his bed and thought for a moment of what to do. He was a cunning Slytherin after all, not an idiotic Gryffindor. Reaching a decision on what to do he got up from his bed and made his way over Theodore's bed.

"Theodore, read this." Harry said to the boy after kicking his bed to get his attention.

Theo sat up on his bed and took the offered note before his eyes grew wide as he finished reading it and he looked up at Harry with shock written all over his face.

"Is this for real?" Theodore asked and his face grew pale at Harry's nod. "What are we going to do?" he asked as he rose from his bed taking out his wand as he did so. The boy was obviously scared out of his mind at the thought of facing Lord Voldemort, yet at the same time determined to help in any way he could.

"Come with me." Harry ordered in a no-nonsense voice as he turned and headed out the room with Theodore following behind. Once the two had crossed the common room and exited out into the dungeons of the school, Harry began explaining what they were going to do.

"Once we get to the 3rd floor, I'll enter, whilst you wait outside for ten minutes, once the 10 minutes are up you go to Professor Snape and show him that note and he will hopefully go to Dumbledore or another teacher for help, I, meanwhile will hopefully keep Voldemort talking and the girls alive until help can arrive." Harry finished the rough plan before the two began jogging along the 3rd floor to the forbidden corridor.

"Do you think the plan will work?" Theodore asked as they reached the door leading onto the forbidden corridor and just before Harry entered the door.

"I hope so because it's the only plan I could come up with that has me arriving alone yet with help coming not long after, I hate to admit this but I highly doubt I could take Voldemort in a fight at this point in time but I _will_ be strong enough one day." Harry explained before he opened the door and entered the room with his wand at the ready to battle the three-headed dog.

However luck was on his side as the huge dog was curled up sound asleep a heart playing beside it. The trapdoor that the dog had been guarding was open.

"That's a long way down." Harry muttered to himself as he peered through the trap door. "Oh well here's to idiotic Gryffindor bravery." He muttered before he jumped through the door feet first. After falling through the blackness for a minute or so Harry landed on something soft.

"_Lumos_." He muttered softly, as his wand lit up he realised that he had landed on Devils-Snare. Acting quickly Harry pointed his wand at the plant before covering his eyes with one hand.

"_Lumos Maxima_." He said in a strong voice and the deadly plant recoiled from the bright light before it could even begin to try and ensnare him and Harry was saved from blinding himself with his eyes covered by his hand.

Getting up he followed the slanting path until he came upon a door, entering he found himself in a stone circler room with a high ceiling, looking up he saw hundreds of what looked like birds flying around the top of the room and just beside the door at the other end of the room was two broomsticks. Striding purposefully across the room, keeping his wand at the ready should the birds attack. Fortunately he reached the doors unchallenged by the birds; he tried to door only to find it firmly locked.

"_Alohomora_." He chanted in a firm voice however when he tried the door again it was still firmly locked. Not bothering to find out just how to get through the door he gathered his magic as he took quick steps back from the door.

_"Bombarda Maxima."_ He roared in a powerful voice, seconds later the door disappeared amongst splinters of wood and dust leaving the way free. As he entered through the settling dust into the next room he found a surprise waiting for him.

Meanwhile up on the 3rd floor outside the door that Harry had entered, Theodore looked at his watch and found that the 10 minutes were up so he took off running the same way he and Harry had come. Five minutes later he burst into Professor Snape's office without knocking.

"What is the meaning of this Mr. Nott?" Snape asked as he jumped up from his seat behind his desk. Theo just raced up to Snape's desk before handing over the note and bending over with his hands on his knees to catch his breath.

"Oh shit." Snape swore as he quickly read the note Nott had handed to him. "Where is Potter?" he asked the boy who was just straightening back up. Theodore quickly explained Harry's rough plan to which Snape nodded his approval.

"A good on the spot plan, at least he had the sense to know he need's back up." Snape muttered as he quickly thought of his own plan. "Ok Mr. Nott quickly go to Professor Flitwick's office and show him this note then have him meet us on the 3rd floor." Snape explained quickly as he passed the note back to Theodore.

"Yes sir and you?" He asked as he headed back towards the door ready to begin racing through the castle again.

"I shall get the Headmaster and Professor McGonagall to help us, with the Dark Lord we will need all the wands we can get." Snape would have contacted the other Professor's in the castle but somebody needed to keep a watch over the school plus Dumbledore, Flitwick, McGonagall and himself were the most able fighters.

"Right, see you in a moment." Theodore said as he opened the door and took off running through the castle. He raced passed Argus Filch who began yelling at him for running indoors, however Theodore was a boy on a mission and he ignored the caretaker as he raced up the marble staircase.

Meanwhile as Harry walked through the dust into the next room he found a surprise in the form of Ronald Weasley, Neville Longbottom and Hermione Granger who were just about to begin playing chess on a huge chess board.

"What the fuck are you three doing down here." Harry shouted at them before they could begin playing causing the three to jump almost a foot in the air as they spun to face him._ "There must have been a silencing charm on the door and that's why they didn't hear me destroying it." He thought to himself._

"We could ask you the same thing Potter." Weasley tried to growl menacingly at him as he pointed his wand at Harry who just smirked at him.

"Harry we're here to stop Snape from stealing the Philosopher's Stone." Granger spoke up quickly before Harry and Ron could come to blows. Harry turned to the bushy haired girl in mild surprise as he realised just why Voldemort was down here.

"You talking about the same Professor Snape who's sat in his office preparing lessons for next year?" Harry asked her was a raised eyebrow.

"How do you know he's in his office?" Granger asked before Weasley could open his mouth again.

"Because he told us all an hour ago that if we needed him for anything that he would be in his office preparing for next year." Harry replied in bored sounding tone, really how stupid could you get.

"S-So S-Snape's not trying to steal the stone?" Longbottom asked him hesitantly.

"No, Voldemort is." Harry smirked once more as Weasley and Longbottom winced at hearing the Dark Lord's name and the blood drained from their faces.

"You-Know-Who's down here?" Weasley asked in fear as he looked towards the door leading to the next room; suddenly becoming the hero for saving the Philosopher's Stone was not as appealing as it first was.

"Yes he is but you three go right ahead and confront him, I'm sure he won't stand a chance against three all _powerful 1__st__ year Gryffindor's_." Harry taunted the redhead knowing the boy didn't have the stones to confront Voldemort.

"Well you're a 1st year too, what do you plan to do against You-Know-Who?" Granger asked him. Her face was also as pale as the two boys'. For an answer Harry turned towards one of the huge stone chess pieces and pointed his wand at it.

**"Bombarda Maxima**." The stone chess piece exploded in a shower of stone rubble and dust as Harry turned back to the three Gryffindor's. "Now imagine what will happen to Voldemort when I hit him with that."

"He'll be a mess." Longbottom spoke up before the other two could do so.

"Exactly Longbottom." Harry nodded at the round faced boy. "And I, unlike you three dunderheads have back up on the way." The three Gryffindor's scowled at his insult but one look at the statue he had just destroyed kept their mouths shut.

"Back up?" Weasley asked after a moment in which he swallowed his angry retort.

"Yes Theodore Nott is at this moment informing Professor Snape that Voldemort has two students hostage down here and told me to come alone, Snape will hopefully arrive along with the Headmaster and others to battle the Dark Lord." Harry explained with a smirk as he saw that the three would-be hero's had not thought to get help from a Professor before they went charging after "Snape"

"Never thought of that." Weasley muttered to himself as Longbottom and Granger nodded their agreement of his words.

"Evidently not but why should you, Gryffindor's are famous for foolishly charging head on into dangerous situations without any kind of plan or any back up. I mean really, what did you three expect to do against a fully trained adult wizard once you caught up with him?" Harry asked the three who all kept silent as they realised that they could not have done anything to stop Snape even if he had been down here trying to steal the stone.

"You're all pathetic trying to play hero without any plan in place or even informing someone where you were going, go back to your common room and grow a brain to use before trying to play hero again." Harry said harshly. The three Gryffindor's wanted to protest his words but they knew that he spoke the truth. They watched as Harry turned away from them and began destroying the rest of the chess pieces; as he destroyed the last piece and began heading towards the door leading into the next room they turned away and began heading back the way they had come.

As he entered into the next room a disgusting smell filled his nostrils, making him gag slightly Eyes watering, he saw, flat on the floor in front of him, a troll even larger than the one he had faced on Halloween, out cold with a bloody lump on its head.

"I'm glad I don't have to fight that one," Harry whispered as he stepped carefully over one of its massive legs and proceeded into the next room wondering what trap came next but there was nothing very frightening in here, just a table with seven differently shaped bottles standing on it in a line.

He stepped over the threshold, and immediately a fire sprang up behind him in the doorway. It wasn't ordinary fire either; it was purple. At the same instant, black flames shot up in the doorway leading onward. He snorted in amusement at the idiot who came up the thought of flames stopping a wizard with such things as a Flame-Freezing charm.

Walking towards the black flames he performed a powerful Flame-Freezing Charm on himself before he passed through the now harmless black flames, not even bothering with the table of bottles.

As he exited the flames he found himself in the last chamber. He knew it was the last chamber because Professor Quirrell stood in front of the large mirror of Erised, looking around he spotted Daphne and Tracy tied up and gagged against the wall on the right. As the two girls caught sight of him he put his finger to his lips silently informing them to keep silent.

"Ah Potter, you're here faster than we expected you to be." Quirrell said with a sneer as he turned to look at Harry, no trace of a stutter in his voice and before Harry could think of any kind a attack, he was reluctant to use the dark arts in front of Voldemort as he didn't want to give away what he could do if he could help it, he knew Voldemort was here somewhere.

"I'm here as instructed but where is Voldemort? Too scared to face me alone? Or has he sent you to soften me up before he arrives to finish what he couldn't ten years ago?" Harry asked in a taunting voice knowing that Voldemort could somehow hear him and hoping that he would give away his position so he could be prepared to fight him if need be.

"My master is here and will not be drawn into giving away his position by silly little school boy taunts." Quirrell growled at him as he drew level with the DADA Professor.

"Whatever, you wanted me here, I am here now let the girls go." Harry said as he glared up into the Professor's eyes as menacingly as he could, Quirrell did not seem affected in the least at his cold glare.

_"Of course_, but first you are going to get the stone for me and my master." Sneered Quirrell as he pointed towards the mirror next to them. "I see myself with the stone but how do I get it."

"Use the boy." A high cold voice hissed echoing around the room in such a way that it seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at the same time. Thus making it impossible for Harry to pinpoint its location

"Look into the mirror boy." Quirrell said harshly as he stepped a few paces to the right so his refection was no longer in the mirror.

Harry looked at him for a moment before he turned to stare at the mirror to see himself as he was; however, after a minute or so his reflection moved even though he himself did not. His reflection reached into his left pocket before pulling out a smooth blood-red rock. His reflection smiled and winked at him before replacing the stone into the pocket, only Harry felt it drop into his real pocket and he had to fight not show any surprise on his face.

"Well what do you see?" asked Quirrell impatiently as he came to stand next to Harry once more.

"I see myself standing over the broken and dead body of Voldemort." He lied quickly which caused Quirrell to scowl at him and barge him out of the way as he began looking into the mirror once again.

"He lies, he lies." That same cold hissing voice echoed around the room once again. "Let me speak to him."

"Master you are not strong enough." Said Quirrell with fear in his voice.

"I have strength enough for this." Said the voice. Quirrell reached up and began un-wrapping his turban; seconds later he removed it to show the back of his head or rather what should have been the back of his head. But instead there was another face. Blood-red eyes, slits for a nose, the face was the stuff for nightmares and had been during his first war against the Wizarding world.

"Harry Potter..." it whispered.

"Voldemort." Breathed Harry as he stared at the monstrous face, he had not been expecting that one.

"Yes, see what I have become." Voldemort said. "Mere shadow and vapour ... I have form only when I can share another's body... but there have always been those willing to let me into their hearts and minds... Unicorn blood has strengthened me, these past weeks... faithful Quirrell drinks it for me in the forest... and once I have the Elixir of Life, I will be able to create a body of my own... Now... why don't you give me that Stone in your pocket?"

"No." Harry growled in defiance

"Don't be a fool," snarled Voldemort. "Better save your own life and join me... or you'll meet the same end as your parents... They died begging me for mercy..."

"Lair." Harry snarled back at Voldemort as he gripped his wand tightly ready for a fight.

"How touching..." Voldemort hissed."I always value bravery... Yes, boy, your parents were brave... I killed your father first; and he put up a courageous fight... but your mother needn't have died... she was trying to protect you... Now give me the Stone, unless you want her to have died in vain."

"_Avada Kedavra."_ Harry shot the killing curse at Quirrell in response seeing no other choice and taking them by surprise as Quirrell dived out of the way of the sickly green jet of death that missed him by inches. However before Quirrell/Voldemort could get his feet under him Harry began raining spells down on him.

"_Expelliarmus_." His aim was spot on and the disarming charm hit Quirrell/Voldemort in the chest sending him crashing back to the floor as his wand flew across the room towards Harry who caught it and snapped it over his knee quickly.

"_Crucio_." Quirrell/Voldemort began screaming in pain as Harry hit him with the torture curse. He allowed the screams to continue for a minute before he released the curse and Quirrell/Voldemort lay on the floor panting and twitching in pain.

Harry was now firmly in control and everyone knew it. Glancing at Daphne and Tracy, he saw that they seemed shocked that Harry had Quirrell/Voldemort at his mercy so fast or that he even had them at his mercy at all. He returned his attention to Quirrell/Voldemort before he could regain his senses and attack him. Harry quickly hit the panting man with over a dozen cutting curses as he slowly began walking over to the downed man.

"Maybe next time you will just kill your enemies instead of blathering on and on." Harry sneered down at the man, his wand pointed at his back as Quirrell was lying face down and Voldemort's face was glaring up at him.

"This fight is far from over." Voldemort hissed at him as Quirrell began to push himself off of the floor.

"_Avada Kedavra."_ This time Harry's killing curse struck the man causing him to slump back to the floor. "Wrong it's over." He spoke before he spat on the body.

Thinking quickly Harry turned back to the mirror and blasted it to smithereens before he picked up a large chunk of broken glass and turned back towards the now dead DADA Professor, he saw a black cloud/shadow leaving the body. He held his wand in front of himself ready to defend against the shadow that he knew to be Voldemort. However, with a roar the shadow rose towards the chamber ceiling and left through the roof.

Acting quickly Harry moved over towards the body and stabbed the piece of glass through the back of Quirrell's neck before he stood up and levitated the body over to the broken mirror and placed the body face up amongst the shards of glass, he then hit the body with a _Bombarda_ hex in the chest causing a huge hole to open and blood to splatter around the floor.

Harry then moved over to the two girls and released them from their bindings and gags before helping them get to their feet, just as the black flames vanished and Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall and Flitwick came charging into the room wands at the ready.

"Agree to whatever I say." Harry muttered quietly to the girls as they began walking towards the Professors.

"What happened Harry?" Dumbledore asked in a gentle tone as he glanced at the fallen body of Quirrell.

"Voldemort Happened." Harry replied in a fake tired voice.

"What do you mean?" McGonagall asked sharply as she stared him down.

"You all know about the letter I received?" Harry asked to which they all nodded. "Did you meet the Gryffindor idiots?" Again the Professor's nodded. "Well when I reached this room I found Quirrell looking into the mirror, he knew I was here and told me that if I wanted the girls to live then I would have to look the mirror and somehow retrieve some stone or other." Here Harry paused for a moment as though he was catching his breath when really he was thinking what to say next without looking them in the eyes.

"And then?" Dumbledore asked gently knowing exactly what stone Voldemort had been talking about, though he doubted that Harry did.

"I looked into the mirror and saw the same image I did the last time I looked into it." Here Dumbledore nodded his understanding. "Anyway I told him this and Quirrell barged me out of the way before he muttered to himself for a moment before a voice asked to speak to me."

"Quirrell then took off his turban and the most monstrous face you can imagine was sticking out of the back of his head, I knew at once who it was and as he began talking about how Unicorn blood had strengthened him and the stone would allow him to create a body of his own I hit him with my strongest _Bombarda_ hex taking him by surprise and blasting him through the mirror and well…" Here Harry trailed off as he gestured regretfully at the body.

McGonagall made her way over to the body and began examining it. Moments later she stood up and turned to face the silently waiting group.

"He is dead; a large chunk of glass is imbedded in the back of his neck which killed him instantly." She informed them and Harry had to fight a smirk from bursting onto his face.

"I-I-I didn't mean for that to happen I only wanted to knock him out u-until y-you a-arrived." Harry informed Dumbledore tearfully as his shoulders slumped and his body began shaking slightly. Daphne and Tracy placed their hands on his shoulders in an apparent show of comfort.

"It is ok my boy, you did what you could and in the process stopped Lord Voldemort from gaining a new body, Quirrell's death is not your fault, do not mourn his passing or blame yourself but learn from his mistakes when it comes to serving Voldemort." Dumbledore explained to a tearful Harry trying to comfort the boy and further encourage him not to turn to the dark arts or Voldemort. Though after tonight's events and the incident with the mirror months ago he doubted Harry would ever join the Dark Lord.

I-I U-understand H-headmaster." Harry hiccupped as he wiped at his eyes. "_I deserve an Oscar."_ He thought to himself as he finished wiping his eyes.

"Well after tonight's events I think an award is in order." Snape spoke up for the first time as he looked at Harry with pride on his face. McGonagall and Flitwick nodded their heads in agreement of the Potions master's words.

"Yes I agree, let's see, 200 points to Slytherin house for your outstanding courage and bravery and a special award for services to not only the school but the Wizarding world." Dumbledore said as he smiled at Harry.

"Thank you Professor that is more than I deserve." Harry said respectfully with a gratefully smile on his face.

"Nonsense my boy you deserve both awards and more." Flitwick said with a large smile as he too looked at Harry with pride.

"I agree, you a certainly a credit to your parents and ancestors Mr. Potter." McGonagall said with a prideful smile at him.

"Thank you Professor." Harry replied with a small bow of his head, the first words he had spoken to McGonagall since his first class with her at the start of the year, to which she beamed at him.

"Well Filius, Minerva, I ask that the two of you clean up in here whilst I and Severus escort Harry and the girls to the hospital wing." Dumbledore asked the two Professor's who quickly agreed to clean up the room and remove the body.

Five minutes later and the two adults and three children were exiting the door leading back out to the third floor where another surprise awaited them.

"What the…" Snape asked in shock as they stared at the entirety of Slytherin house who all had their wands out and pointed at the door, however the wands where dropped to their sides when they saw that it was Snape, the Headmaster and their three missing 1st years.

"What is going on here?" Snape asked them all as Dumbledore beamed around at the students his eyes twinkling brighter than ever.

"When I informed the house of what had happened the entire house insisted in coming here and guarding the door to make sure nobody else entered and if you all were not back in an hour we were going to follow you inside to provide more back up." Theodore Nott explained with a large smile on his face.

"Slytherin house looks out for our own." Marcus Flint spoke up to which all the students nodded in agreement determination written all over their faces.

"What happened?" Asked Pucey from beside Flint. Snape then informed them all of what happened quickly to which the Slytherin's gave a cheer when they heard how Harry had defeated Voldemort and had earned them 200 points.

"Right, I want the 6th and 7th years to guard the hospital wing while Harry is in there under dreamless sleep potion and therefore venerable to attack." Marcus informed the older students who all agreed and quickly worked out shifts for the night.

Dumbledore and Snape smiled as they realised that the entire Slytherin student body wanted to protect Harry when, at the start of the year some would have attacked him given half the chance; it seemed that Harry had won them over with his point earning in class and performance on the Quidditch field.

"I feel sorry for any student foolish enough to attack Harry in the future." Dumbledore muttered to Snape with a large smile on his face as they began making their way towards the hospital wing.

Once they had informed Madam Pomfrey of the night's events she understood the student guard that was stationed around the hospital along with four students at the doors. Two on either side, every student had his or her wand in their hands ready for anything.

Two hours later Dumbledore and Snape were relaxing in the headmasters' office in front of the fire enjoying a large glass of port each.

"What are your thoughts Severus? Dumbledore asked after a lengthy silence.

"I think that Potter truly is the Prince of Slytherin and is firmly against the Dark Lord." Snape replied after a moment as he relaxed further back into the squashy chair.

"I agree." Dumbledore nodded his head as he took a swig of his port. "What else are you thinking?" he knew that Snape was thinking hard about something else.

"I think the Dark Lord will one day gain a new body, he very nearly did tonight if not for Harry, so I think you should restart the Order of the Phoenix and begin recruiting as many people as we can and we should begin training in duelling and combat so that when the Dark Lord does regain his body and begins his war against us once more we will be better equipped for fighting him and his army." Snape finished his explanation in a soft voice before he knocked the last of his port back in one mouthful.

The two were silent for five minutes as Dumbledore thought over Snape's words and the man himself waited for the headmaster's reply.

"After thinking it over I find that you are correct, the sooner we begin recruiting and training the sooner we can be ready for Tom's eventual return." Dumbledore replied as he too knocked back the last of his port in one mouthful.

"And what about Potter are we going to train him?" Snape asked after a moment.

"He seems to be doing very well on his own for now, the _Bombarda_ hex is a 5th year spell after-all, no I think we will wait until Tom regains a body and then begin training him in combat." Dumbledore replied after thinking it over for a few moments.

"Very well who are you thinking of training him when the time comes?" Snape asked after another short pause.

"Alastor Moody and Kingsley Shacklebolt are our most able fighters so I shall approach them when the time comes." Dumbledore replied with a smile as he refilled their glasses.

"Are you planning to have a hand in his training?" Snape asked are nodding his thanks and taking a swig of his drink.

"Yes I will at some point." Dumbledore answered as he too took a swig of his drink. For the next hour mentor and student talked over their plans for the summer holidays and beyond before they bid each over goodnight and went to their respective beds.

End of chapter

_AN: I'll end it here as this is a good place I think. So what did you all think? Please review. _


	9. Year 2 begins

_AN: "Sorry for not updating any of my stories in a long time but I kind of hit a writer's block on them all. Hopefully now that I've updated this one and my Rambo crossover I have my '_groove'_ back. I hope you can all forgive me the long wait and continue to enjoy this story._

_AN2: I seem to always forget this but I own nothing but the plot and any OC's, everything belongs to J.K.R. __**Warning**__, Harry gets darker in the beginning of this chapter. _

**Year 2 Begins**

Vernon Dursley was a big, beefy man with a large purple face, thick, dark hair, a bushy black moustache, with hardly any neck and small, mean blue eyes. He was the director of Grunnings, a drill manufacturing company. He was also in a very bad mood as he had been unable to secure a large contract with newly established builders, who were putting up houses and other buildings all over the country. The contract would have been around 20 thousand pounds for his company and a big fat pay check for Vernon. But no the builders had chosen to go with some other drill company, meaning no big fat contract for Grunnings, which meant no big fat pay check for Vernon. This put Vernon in a bad mood after having to listen to his boss moan and moan for two hours straight.

Grumbling to himself as he got in his car, ready to drive home after a hard day's work, he never saw the tip of a wand pointing at him from the back seat, suspended seemingly in midair, nor did he hear the whispered '_Imperio.'_

As he sat there in the driver's seat, he suddenly felt the most wonderful feeling. He felt a floating sensation as every thought and worry in his head was wiped gently away, leaving nothing but a vague, untraceable happiness. He sat there feeling immensely relaxed, only dimly aware of where he was.

And then he heard a faint whisper in the back of his empty mind, "Drive to the bank… Empty out your bank and savings accounts…" Nodding to himself and not questioning the voice, Vernon started the car and began the journey across town to the bank.

An hour later, Vernon exited the bank and got back into his car with just over sixty thousand pounds in the briefcase he used for work, which he placed into the back seat of the car before turning to drive out of the car park, never noticing the briefcase seemingly vanish into thin air.

"Drive home…" whispered the voice in the back of his mind. 20 minutes later, Vernon pulled into his driveway and turned off the engine. "Go into the garage and get your hunting shotgun make sure it is loaded, ignore anyone who speaks to you, and then come back to the car." The voice whispered once the engine had been turned off.

Five minutes later, Vernon was back in the car with the shotgun laid across his lap. "Drive to the woods on the edge of town." 20 minutes later, Vernon pulled the car to a stop just on the outskirts of Little Whinging forest, still not questioning the voice or what he was doing.

"Get out of the car, walk into the woods, and keep walking until you reach the heart of the woods, when you reach the heart of the woods, put the barrel of the shotgun in your mouth and pull the trigger." The voice whispered its final instruction in the back of Vernon's mind. Still not questioning the voice, Vernon got out of the car and began walking into the woods, shotgun in hand.

Meanwhile, in the back seat of the car, Harry James Potter took off his invisibility cloak a smirk on his face; he got out of the car with Vernon's briefcase full of money and his cloak in hand. He watched as his _uncle_ walked off into the woods. As he watched the large man walk away, he thought of all the beatings and staving days he had suffered at that mans hands and now with all the money Vernon had, now in his possession and his _uncle's_ death moments away, he knew the two of them were about to become even. Harry's revenge was about to fulfilled. His revenge on his _aunt_ Petunia would be her been broke and having to live the rest of her life without her _beloved_ husband; his revenge on Dudley would be the fat little shit having to attend public school from now on and living the rest of his life without his father.

"_Not all revenge has to be physical, mental revenge is also brilliant_." Harry thought as he turned back to the car pulling out his wand and pointing it at the back window of the car.

"_Reducto_." The muttered curse hit the window shattering the glass easily. The window broken, Harry pulled a tiny petrol can from his pants pocket, which he enlarged to its original size with a muttered spell. He then began pouring petrol all over the inside of the car, completely saturating all the seats, the floor and boot of the car until the petrol can was empty, he threw the empty can into the back of the car before he walked to the boot of the car so he was standing in front of the window he had smashed.

Picking up the briefcase and his invisibility cloak from where he had placed them after smashing the window, he held them both in one hand while his other hand reached into his pocket, pulling out a silver petrol lighter. He flipped open the lid and lit the lighter, he then waited a moment listening. Moments later he heard it.

It was the loud unmistakable sound of a gun been fired. At the same time of the sound, Harry felt the link connecting his mind to Vernon Dursley's mind sever as the large man's life ended.

"Now we're even." Harry muttered as he threw the lit lighter into the boot of the car. Seconds later the car was a huge burning inferno as Harry reached up and grasped the necklace he had bought before the beginning of his first year and which Albus Dumbledore had enchanted to be a reusable Port-key set to take him to the edge of the wards around the Davis family home.

"_Activate_." And seconds later, Harry Potter vanished into thin air as the car continued to burn. It would be another ten minutes before the fire brigade arrived on the scene to put out the burning car. The Body of Vernon Stanley Dursley would be found the next afternoon by a man walking his two dogs through the woods, it would be three days after that, that his body would be identified and his wife and son informed. There would be no inquirers into his death as the police found the gun and ruled it as suicide after checking and only finding Vernon's fingerprints. It would be two weeks after Vernon's death when she received her monthly bank statement that Petunia Dursley would find out that she was broke and penniless. A week after that, Marjorie "Marge" Dursley would be found dead in the living room of her home in Kent, the large woman seemed to be in perfectly healthy, apart from the fact that she was dead; her bank account had also been completely emptied of its 20 thousand pounds two days before her death.

At the tender age of 12 years old Harry Potter had become a cold bloodied killer with three names hanging from his kill-belt, Quirinus Quirrell, Vernon Dursley and now Marjorie Dursley.

_Three weeks later (3 weeks after Vernon's death that is)_

Harry sat in the living room of the Davis family home playing chess with Tracy as Daphne watched on. Michael Davis sat in his favourite recliner chair reading the _Daily Prophet_ and sipping a glass of port after his evening meal and Annabel Davis sat watching her favourite soap operas on the television.

"You're move Harry." Tracy said after making her move and smiling up at Harry thinking she finally had him this time.

Harry frowned down at the chessboard, Tracy nearly had him beat, and in fact she would win on her next move if he made a mistake. And then he saw it, the move that would allow him to win and keep his undefeated streak going against both Tracy and Daphne. He looked up at the two girls and smirked in triumph.

"Oh no." Muttered Daphne knowing exactly why Harry was smirking. She watched as Harry picked up his black piece; they were playing Muggle chess meaning they had to move the pieces themselves unlike with wizard's chess, which all three of them preferred. Both Harry and Tracy were down to their last three pieces each.

"Check and mate." Harry grinned as his king took Tracy's king to the girls' everlasting irritation.

"We've been playing chess against you all summer and you've won every game." Tracy grumbled as she sat back on her chair with a huff and her arms crossed over her chest.

"Yeh, can't you let one of us win at least _one_ game against you." Daphne said as she too sat back in her chair.

"If I let you win you can't improve your game and won't get better, so really if I let you win I will be doing you a disservice." Harry replied with a grin as he took a gulp of his drink.

"Oh shut up Potter." Tracy grumbled at him causing Harry to laugh lightly. Before any of them could say anything further Michael interrupted them with a coughing fit.

"Are you ok dear?" Annabel asked as she looked away from the T.V to look at her husband in concern.

"Yes." Michael chocked out after managing to get himself under control. "It's just this article in the paper caught me by complete surprise is all." He explained motioning towards the paper.

"What does it say Daddy?" Tracy asked as she picked up her drink and took a swig.

"_Harry James Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived made two considerable donations today. Mr. Potter, age 12, donated ten thousand galleons to the Ministry of Magic DMLE general fund, giving the check to DMLE head, Madam Amelia Bones herself. Mr. Potter stated that the Auror's and Hit-wizard's are very important to catching dark witches and wizards in our world and he felt that donating a 'few' galleons too the DMLE fund was his contribution to helping in the capture of the Dark people until he was old enough to get involved himself one day should he desire to take a job as an Auror or a Hit-wizard._

"_I would like to thank Harry Potter for his very generous donation and assure him and the rest of the Wizarding world that his money will indeed go to helping capture Dark and Dangerous witches and wizards." Madam Bones said in a brief statement to the Prophet._

_If that was not enough, after he left the Ministry building Harry Potter made his way to ST. Mungo's hospital for magical maladies and injuries where he made his way to the office of the head of the children's ward of the Hospital where he made a donation of fifteen thousand galleons stating that as the future of our world, these young witches and wizards who are sick or injured need the very best treatment money can buy and that he was just doing his bit to help them all get better._

"_I wish all the children of the hospital speedy recoveries and I shall be back to see them all at Christmas with presents for them all." Mr. Potter told a junior reporter as he left the hospital after speaking with each and every young witch or wizard who was in hospital at the time of his visit._

"_Harry Potter proved today to have a heart of gold and is a role model for young witches and wizards and some of the older ones to look up too." Jacob Bradley, head of the children's ward at ST. Mungo's spoke with a large smile on his face as he waved Mr. Potter away after the boy had finished visiting the children of the hospital. _

_We here at the Prophet would like to applaud Mr. Potter's generosity and selflessness. We are also happy to announce that Mr. Potter has agreed to allow us to continue writing about him as he stated that he had no grudge against the Prophet just with the scandalous lies written by Ms. Rita Skeeter at the beginning of his first year at Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry. In which Ms. Skeeter accused Mr. Potter of been the new Dark Lord after Mr. Potter was sorted into Slytherin house, which resulted in Mr. Potter taking legal action against the Prophet after the vicious insult to "show the world he will not lie down and take such insults and lies lying down." _

"You donated 25 thousand galleons in one day." Tracy whispered in shock as she stared at Harry in disbelief.

"Yes." Harry replied simply with a slight smirk on his face.

"Why?" Daphne asked wondering why anybody would donate so much money to anyone or anything.

"Respect." Harry answered simply.

"Respect." Annabel repeated with slight confusion on her face.

"Yes, Lucius Malfoy for all his faults is a well respected man of our society, why, because he is seen talking with the right people and giving to charity plus he has invested in various businesses and made quite the fortune and people respect him for that." Harry explained with a grin.

"Yes but Malfoy always asks for favours before or after he has donated money." Michael said with a disgusted look on his face.

"Exactly and people will notice that he does that but they will notice that when I donate money to whatever fund or charity I _didn't_ ask for any favours and they will respect me more for that and because I'm also seen speaking to the right people." Harry explained with a grin.

"So you've been speaking to the right people?" Tracy asked.

"Yes, today when Madam Bones thanked me for my donation there were quite a few Auror's and Ministry workers around and I turned a quick thank you into a half hour talk just by asking one question, people took notice of the long talk between us noting that Madam Bones spoke to me like an equal and not a child and people who saw that would have been wagging their tongues all day telling their friends, thus I'm known for talking with the _right_ people." Harry explained smiling widely.

"So that's why you spent an hour taking with Minister Fudge in Diagon Alley last week." Daphne said in dawning comprehension.

"Exactly and hundreds of people would have heard what we were talking about and the fact that I'm on first name basis with the Minister for Magic and they will respect me for that." Harry agreed with a nod and a smile.

"Ah I see now, you take over as head of your family when you turn 15 and you have a seat in the Wizengamot, if you have respect now, when you enter politics people will be willing to listen to you speak and will hear out your views." Michael said with a large grin on his face.

"Exactly, people will treat me as a peer and not a 15 year old boy." Harry grinned and Michael laughed at his sly cunning.

"You cunning little snake, no wonder you were put in Slytherin so fast." Tracy laughed getting laughs from everyone in the room.

"Yes and when we return to Hogwarts and it gets out that I'm the apprentice to duelling -master, 5 time world Duelling champion, Charms master, high-Sorcerer and Professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Master Filius Flitwick, people will respect me even more." Harry said grinning from ear to ear and rubbing his hands together like a mad Muggle scientist.

"Your Flitwick's apprentice, rumours are flying all around the Ministry that Filius had agreed to take on his first ever apprentice." Michael said in awe as people had been trying for years to get Flitwick to take them on as his apprentice.

"Yes, after I told him that I've mastered all the charms spells up to the end of 3rd year he said that I reminded him of himself when he was my age and mastering spells two years before I would be taught them." Harry explained with a grin at their shocked faces.

"You've already mastered the 2nd and 3rd year charms?" Annabel asked with pride in her voice and in her eyes as she smiled at Harry who smiled back.

"Yep, along with the second year DADA and Transfiguration spells." Harry grinned proudly at all he had been able to accomplish in one summer. He had enacted his revenge against his so-called relatives, began gaining respect from the Ministry and public, mastered spells well before he would be taught them and he had managed to become Flitwick's first ever apprentice.

"Well I may not have known them very well but I can say without doubt that you're mother and father would be very proud of you and the man you are becoming." Michael said with pride shining on his face.

"Thank you Michael, that means a lot." Harry replied sincerely as he smiled at those around him in the room. That was another thing, ever since he had officially been adopted by Michael and Annabel and become a member of the Davis family; he had been smiling a lot more and was no longer cold towards people. Well except people like the Malfoy men but then slime balls like those deserved to be treated with a cold glare or a complete snub, showing that he did not think that they were worthy of his time.

"Well I think I'm going to climb in." Harry said as he stood from his seat stretching and yawning. "Night all."

Goodnight Harry." Everyone called as he headed out the living room door and up the stairs.

"Well what do you think of all that then?" Michael asked Annabel with a grin.

"I think that one day he's going to be bigger than Dumbledore the way he's going." Annabel replied with a smile on her face.

"That's our boy for you." Daphne said with a smile as she stood up. "Well I'm off to bed as well, night." She too left the room after the three Davis's had wished her goodnight.

"Oh I can't wait to see Malfoy's and Weasleys faces when they hear that my brother is Flitwick's apprentice." Tracy said with glee and a large smile on her face.

"Why." Annabel asked her daughter with a smile.

"Because Draco Malfoy and Ronald Weasley both fancy themselves as Harry's rival but they're going to realise that Harry is leagues ahead of them and they don't stand a chance of even comparing to him." Tracy explained with a laugh before she too headed off to bed leaving her parents to some alone time.

Harry closed the door to his bedroom, and turned to collapse on his bed for a bit of reading before he went to sleep. The trouble was there was already someone sitting on it.

Harry managed not to shout out, but it was a close thing. The little creature on the bed had large, bat-like ears and bulging green eyes the size of tennis balls. Harry knew instantly that this was a house-elf, having met the Davis family elf, Daisy.

As they stared at each other, Harry heard Daphne's bedroom door close across the hallway.

The creature slipped off the bed and bowed so low that the end of its long, thin nose touched the carpet. Harry noticed that it was wearing what looked like an old pillowcase, with rips for arm- and leg-holes. Nothing like Daisy's uniform of black skirt, white blouse and black shoes.

"Hello." Harry spoke breaking the silence figuring that he may as well be polite since the elf had not been rude to him nor had the elf tried to attack him in any way.

"Harry Potter!" said the creature in a high-pitched voice. "So long has Dobby wanted to meet you, sir... Such an honour it is…"

"Thank you," said Harry, crossing his room and sinking into his desk chair, next to Hedwig, who was asleep in her large cage. "Who are you?" he asked after a moment.

"Dobby, sir. Just Dobby. Dobby the house-elf," said the elf, Dobby.

"Nice too meet you, is there any particular reason you're here?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh, yes, sir," said Dobby earnestly. "Dobby has come to tell you, sir... it is difficult, sir... Dobby wonders where to begin..."

"Sit down and start at the beginning that's usually the best place to begin." Harry said with a grin.

To his shock, the elf burst into tears.

"S-sit down!" he wailed. "Never ... never ever..."

"I'm sorry," he said, "I didn't mean to offend you or anything-"

"Offend Dobby!" choked the elf. "Dobby has never been asked to sit down by a wizard - like an equal-"

"You can't have met many decent wizards," said Harry grinned, trying to cheer him up.

Dobby shook his head. Then, without warning, he leapt up and started banging his head furiously on the window, shouting, "Bad Dobby! Bad Dobby!"

"What are you doing, you physco?" Harry hissed, springing up and pulling Dobby back onto the bed - Hedwig had woken up with a particularly loud screech and was beating her wings wildly against the bars of her cage.

"Dobby had to punish himself, sir," said the elf, which had gone slightly cross-eyed. "Dobby almost spoke ill of his family, sir..."

"Does your family know you're here? Harry asked trying not to laugh at the cross-eyed elf.

"Oh, no, sir, no... Dobby will have to punish himself most grievously for coming to see you, sir. Dobby will have to shut his ears in the oven door for this. If they ever knew, sir-"

"Bastards." Harry muttered in disgust at the thought of what this elf must go through daily. _"Just like I used too with the damned Dursley's." _he thought in anger.

"Anything I can do to help." He asked the elf knowing there was not really but it never hurt to ask and be polite.

"Harry Potter asks if he can help Dobby... Dobby has heard of your greatness, sir, but of your goodness, Dobby never knew..."

"I'm not that great." Harry said with a small smile. "_Not yet at least." _He thought to himself but he did not voice this, as he did not wish to sound bigheaded even to an elf.

"Harry Potter is humble and modest," said Dobby reverently, his orb-like eyes aglow. "Harry Potter speaks not of his triumph over He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named-"

"Voldemort." Harry said automatically as he did whenever anyone began all this You-Know-Who or He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named crap.

Dobby clapped his hands over his bat ears and moaned, "Ah, speak not the name, sir! Speak not the name!"

"Sorry." He was not but again it never hurt to be polite.

"Dobby heard tell," He said hoarsely, "that Harry Potter met the Dark Lord for a second time just weeks ago... that Harry Potter escaped yet again."

"No, Voldemort escaped not me, I handed him his ass before he fled like the coward that he is." Harry said fiercely, he hated how everyone assumed that he had done the escaping, when it was Voldemort who had been at Harry's feet screaming his heart out in pain.

"Ah, sir," he gasped, dabbing his face with a corner of the grubby pillowcase he was wearing. "Harry Potter is valiant and bold! He has braved so many dangers already! But Dobby has come to protect Harry Potter, to warn him, even if he does have to shut his ears in the oven door later... Harry Potter must not go back to Hogwarts."

"What, but I've got to go back term starts in two weeks and I'm going to be Flitwick's apprentice, how can I do that if I don't go back to school." Harry said trying to reason with the small elf.

"No, no, no," squeaked Dobby, shaking his head so hard his ears flapped. "Harry Potter must stay where he is safe. He is too great, too good, to lose. If Harry Potter goes back to Hogwarts, he will be in mortal danger."

"Why?" said Harry in surprise.

"There is a plot, Harry Potter. A plot to make most terrible things happen at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this year," whispered Dobby, suddenly trembling all over. "Dobby has known it for months, sir. Harry Potter must not put himself in peril. He is too important, sir!"

"Sod been too important and cowering under my bed safe and sound, if there plot to make terrible things happen, then I'll be damned if let my sister face them alone." Harry hissed eyes flashing. The Davis family was the most decent thing to happen to him since he was left with the Dursley's all those years ago and he'd be damned if he'd allow anything to happen to Tracy or Daphne.

"No Harry Potter must not put himself in danger this time." Dobby said frantically.

"Who's plotting these things?" Harry asked ignoring Dobby's last statement. "Is it Voldemort?"

"Not - not He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, sir-"

But Dobby's eyes were wide and he seemed to be trying to give Harry a hint.

"_It is Voldemort but the elf can't say, probably been forbidden from doing so but not from giving hints_." Harry thought to himself after staring intently into the elf's pleading eyes.

"Sorry Dobby but I'm going back to Hogwarts." Harry said firmly staring down the elf.

"Dobby will be stopping you." Dobby said with a sad smile before he vanished with a soft pop.

"Crazy bloody elf." Harry muttered as he dropped onto his bed with a sigh and reached over for his book on a guide to becoming an Ancient Runes master book one. There were fifteen guidebooks to becoming a master. The first book just explained runes and how and what they were used for, the rest of the books began the practical aspect of the subject.

_Kings Cross two weeks later_

Harry, the Davis's and Greengrass family arrived at Kings Cross at ten-to-eleven on September 1st. this was Harry's first time getting to platform 9 ¾ this way as last year he had Floo'd from the Leaky Cauldron. Upon hearing this, Patricia and Annabel insisted that they go through the barrier as they felt that it was a rite-of-passage that Harry had missed last year.

"Ok Harry, all you have to do is walk straight at the wall between platforms 9 and 10." Michael explained to him as they came upon the platforms.

"Sounds simple enough." Harry nodded as he looked at the barrier separating the two platforms.

"It is." Annabel agreed as she smiled at him and squeezed his shoulder gently.

"We'll all go first, so you can watch." Alexander said with a grin as he guided Daphne's trolley towards the barrier with Daphne walking beside him. A second later, the two vanished through the seemingly solid wall.

"See simple." Patricia grinned at him before she and Astoria followed Alex and Daphne through the wall.

"Well, see you on the other side." Tracy smiled as she set off towards the barrier with her mother and father. Annabel looked back at him and Harry nodded that he was ok to walk through on his own; she nodded back before the three of them also vanished.

"Piece of piss." Harry muttered to himself as he began to walk towards the barrier separating the two platforms. However when his trolley reached the barrier it stopped instead of going through like the other trolleys.

Frowning Harry placed his hand on the barrier. It was solid brick; the barrier had closed itself to him. "Just my luck." He muttered as he continued to push against the wall but nothing happened, the wall remained solid.

"What are doing standing there Potter, not going onto the platform." A voice asked from behind him. Turning round Harry spotted Ronald Weasley and Seamus Finnigan coming towards him.

"The barriers shut itself." Harry replied turning back to the wall.

"Why has the barrier closed itself it's only five-to-eleven?" Finnigan asked him but Weasley spoke up.

"He's a slimy Slytherin, he's lying to try and make us late getting onto the platform." Weasley said as he glared at Harry.

"I'm lying am I; alright you go right ahead and onto the platform then." Harry spat at the redhead as he moved himself and his trolley out of the way of the barrier.

"I will." Weasley glared at him before he began running towards the barrier. Seamus Finnigan was about to follow him until he spotted Harry's gleefully grinning face as he watched Ron get closer and closer to the barrier.

CRASH.

Weasleys trolley hit the solid barrier with a sickening crunch and bounced backward; His trunk fell off the trolley and he crashed to the floor hard.

"Are you alright Ron?" Seamus asked the redhead trying to ignore Harry who was now howling with laughter and slapping his knees as he bent over from laughing so hard.

"Yeh I'm alright." Ron said with a grunt as he got up off the floor. "Will you stop laughing." He glared at Harry who was only just getting himself under control.

"Well I told you it had closed itself." Harry smirked at him.

"Why can't we get through?" Seamus asked them both but Ron answered as Harry had turned to study the barrier.

"I dunno-"

Ron looked wildly around. A dozen curious people were watching them.

"We're going to miss the train," Ron whispered. "I don't understand why the gateways sealed itself-"

Seamus looked up at the giant clock with a sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach. Ten seconds... nine seconds...

He wheeled his trolley forward cautiously until it was right against the barrier and pushed with all his might. The metal remained solid.

Three seconds... two seconds... one second...

"It's gone," said Ron, sounding stunned. "The train's left, What if Mum and Dad can't get back through to us? Have you got any Muggle money?"

"No." Seamus replied he was about to ask Harry but he doubted that Harry would help them even if he did have some Muggle money on him. He was right to doubt, Harry would not have helped them with the way Weasley have treated him all last year.

Ron pressed his ear to the cold barrier.

"Can't hear a thing," he said tensely, "What're we going to do? I don't know how long it'll take Mum and Dad to get back to us."

"I think we'd better go and wait by the car," said Seamus.

"Seamus." Said Ron, his eyes gleaming. "The car!"

"What about it?"

"We can fly the car to Hogwarts!"

"But I thought-"

"We're stuck, right? And we have to get to school, haven't we? And even underage wizards are allowed to use magic if it's a real emergency, section nineteen or something of the Restriction of Thingy-"

"Can you fly it?" Seamus asked his panic turning to excitement.

"You two are going to fly a car to Hogwarts?" Harry asked turning to look at them in disbelief.

"Yeh it'll be easy, want to come with us?" Weasley asked him in a fit of happiness.

"No you bloody idiot, do you realise how much trouble you'd be in if the Ministry found out, not to mention Muggle's will see you." Harry said as though he was talking to a slow in the head 5 year old.

"Well sod you then, come on Seamus." Ron said and with that, Weasley and Finnigan left the station with excited springs in their steps both envisioning a grand entrance where everyone stared at them jealously.

"Morons." Harry muttered to himself as he pulled his trolley over to a bench and sat down after pulling parchment and a Muggle pen from his trunk. He wrote a quick letter to his head of house; explaining his situation and to watch out for Weasley and Finnigan as they were flying a car to school and hoping to make a grand entrance. After sending Hedwig off to Professor Snape, Harry sat back with his book on Ancient Runes to wait for his professor.

Later that evening Harry descended the stairs into the entrance hall of Hogwarts just as the students were entering through the main doors.

"Harry." Tracy shouted as she spotted him. She and Daphne made a beeline for Harry; they both gave him crushing hugs when they reached him. "Where were you?" She asked after Daphne had let go of him.

Harry then told them both of how the barrier had closed itself to him when he'd tried getting onto the platform and how he'd written to Professor Snape who had come and brought him to Hogwarts via Side-Along Apparition.

"Weird." Tracy frowned as the three of them headed into the Great hall and took seats at the Slytherin table, Harry getting shouted greetings from what felt like the entire house.

"It was worth it though to watch Weasley smash into the Barrier." Harry said with a gleeful smirk.

"What?" Daphne asked smiling at the look on Harry's face. Harry then told them of how Weasley had ignored his warning before smashing into the solid wall and how him and Finnigan had decided to fly a car to Hogwarts.

"They really flew a car to Hogwarts?" Tracy asked in shock as McGonagall began leading in the first years.

"Yeh and Snape never looked so gleeful as he did when I told him about it, wish I could see the welcoming he's going to give them." Harry smirked before the three of them turned to watch the sorting along with the rest of Hogwarts.

Harry smirked as he watched a Slytherin prefect enter the hall from a side door and whisper in Snape's ear, who got up and left the hall through the same door the prefect had entered.

"I almost feel sorry for Weasley and Finnigan, Snape's got a spring in his step." Harry muttered to Daphne and Tracy. All three of them knew the only thing that put a spring in Snape's step were Gryffindor's in deep trouble.

"They'll get at least a month's detention each." Daphne muttered as Luna Lovegood was sorted into Ravenclaw.

"And a huge points loss." Tracy smirked as she glanced over at the lions table wondering what their reactions were going to be.

"But School has not officially started until the feast is over." Harry muttered with a frown he too wanted to see the reactions of the lions for a sudden point's loss.

"Yeh but it's very doubtful that Weasley or Finnigan will think of that." Daphne smirked at them getting smirks in return from Harry and Tracy.

Sure enough ten minutes after McGonagall had stalked out of the Great hall there was a roar of rage from the Gryffindor table as the house point's glass for the lions suddenly filled with black beads showing that they were minus in point's.

"Damn that's harsh, minus four hundred points, two hundred a piece." Harry laughed along with the rest of the Slytherin's, they all knew that Gryffindor were out of running for the house cup before the welcoming feast had even properly gotten started.

Once the feast was finished, Headmaster Albus Dumbledore got to his feet for his usual welcome speech.

"Ahem - just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you.

"First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well."

"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors.

"Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for his or her house teams should contact Madam Hooch.

"And finally, allow me to introduce your new Defence against the Dark Arts Professor, Gilderoy Lockhart." There was a loud clapping and cheering, mainly for the female students.

"And now off too bed with you all, pip, pip." Dumbledore sat back down and engaged Professor Snape in conversation as the students rose from their seat to head to their houses.

Twenty minutes later Harry fell onto his bed after whishing Daphne, Tracy and Theodore goodnight with a content sigh. He loved living with the Davis's but it was good to be back at Hogwarts at last.

End of Chapter

_AN: So how was it? Like it? Don't like? Please leave a review. _


	10. Gilderoy Lockhart and Luna Lovegood

**Gilderoy Lockhart and Luna Lovegood**

The next day, Harry had only just started his porridge when, there was a rushing sound overhead and a hundred or so owls streamed in, circling the hall and dropping letters and packages into the chattering crowd. Not seeing Hedwig among the owls, he went back to his porridge as Daphne and Tracy opened their copies of that morning's Daily Prophet, why they did not just buy one copy and share it between them he didn't know. Suddenly without any warning, a roar of sound filled the huge hall, shaking dust from the ceiling.

RONALD WEASLEY HOW DARE YOU STEAL THAT CAR, I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN SURPRISED IF THEY'D EXPELLED YOU, YOU WAIT TILL I GET HOLD OF YOU, I DON'T SUPPOSE YOU STOPPED TO THINK WHAT YOUR FATHER AND I WENT THROUGH WHEN WE SAW IT WAS GONE-"

Looking across the hall at the Gryffindor table, he could just see the top of Weasleys head as he had sunk so low in his chair that only his crimson forehead could be seen, people throughout the hall were swivelling around to see who had received the Howler.

"-LETTER FROM DUMBLEDORE LAST NIGHT, I THOUGHT YOUR FATHER WOULD DIE OF SHAME, WE DIDN'T BRING YOU UP TO BEHAVE LIKE THIS, YOU AND SEAMUS COULD BOTH HAVE DIED-"

Looking down the table, Harry could see the Weasley twins giving their younger brother thumbs up while grinning from ear-to-ear, no doubt that those two trouble makers thought it was great that their brother had gotten a howler within 24hrs of been at school.

"-ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED - YOUR FATHER'S FACING AN INQUIRY AT WORK, IT'S ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT AND IF YOU PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT BACK HOME."

A silence fell across the hall, as the red envelope ripped itself up, the only sound to be-heard was that of Draco Malfoy who was sat at the very end of the Gryffindor table laughing like a hyena as he pointed at Weasleys bright red face. Harry himself had a slight smirk on his face as he went back to his breakfast.

"Well what did the prat expect after stealing and flying a car to school?" Daphne asked as she went back to reading the paper and eating her breakfast.

"I don't know what he expected but I guarantee Malfoy isn't going to let him live it down for a long time." Tracy replied as she too went back to her paper and food.

Fifteen minutes later and they were heading to their first class of the school year, Herbology with the Hufflepuff's. Harry, Daphne and Tracy left the castle together with the rest of the 2nd year Slytherin's, crossed the vegetable patch, and made for the greenhouses, where the magical plants were kept. As they neared the greenhouses, they saw the rest of the class standing outside, waiting for Professor Sprout. They had only just joined them when she came striding into view across the lawn, accompanied by Gilderoy Lockhart. Professor Sprout's arms were full of bandages and a slight scowl was on her normally kind face.

Professor Sprout was a squat little witch who wore a patched hat over her flyaway hair; there was usually a large amount of earth on her clothes and her fingernails would have made Aunt Petunia faint. Gilderoy Lockhart, however, was immaculate in sweeping robes of turquoise, his golden hair shining under a perfectly positioned turquoise hat with gold trimming.

"Oh, hello there!" he called, beaming around at the assembled students. "Just been showing Professor Sprout the right way to doctor a Whomping Willow! However, I don't want you running away with the idea that I'm better at Herbology than she is! I just happen to have met several of these exotic plants on my travels..."

"Greenhouse three today, chaps!" said Professor Sprout, who was looking distinctly disgruntled, not at all her usual cheerful self.

There was a murmur of interest. They had only ever worked in greenhouse one before - greenhouse three housed far more interesting and dangerous plants. Professor Sprout took a large key from her belt and unlocked the door. Harry caught a whiff of damp earth and fertilizer mingling with the heavy perfume of some giant, umbrella-sized flowers dangling from the ceiling.

Just then, Lockhart spotted Harry and his smile grew larger showing off every one of his straight white teeth.

"Harry Potter, I've been wanting a word with you." Lockhart said as he attempted to put his arm around Harry.

"I'm sorry sir you must be mistaken." Began Harry in his most polite voice as he moved out of Lockhart's reach. "I'm not Harry Potter, I'm Harry Davis, twin brother of Tracy Davis." He lied easily as he gestured towards Tracy.

"Are you really?" Lockhart asked with a confused look on his face.

"Its true sir, Harry Potter is in Ravenclaw." Tracy lied doing her upmost to keep a straight face, backing her adopted brother without question.

"Oh well then, my mistake I'll let you get to your class." Lockhart said with a winning smile and a wave as he headed towards the castle.

"Why did you lie to Lockhart?" Daphne asked a smirking Harry who was watching Lockhart walk away.

"Well apart from the fact that he's a fake, I wanted to see if the dimwit would fall for it." Harry replied with a snort of laughter.

"I can't believe the gullible idiot fell for that." Tracy laughed, Harry and Daphne joining her in laughing at Lockhart's retreating back.

"Well as amusing as that was to watch, we have a class to be getting on with, so let's get inside." Professor Sprout said from behind them, startling Daphne and Tracy both of whom gave a slight scream.

"Of course Professor Sprout." Harry said with a charming smile as he turned to look at the squat Professor before heading inside the greenhouse followed by Daphne, Tracy and the Professor.

Professor Sprout went to a trestle bench in the center of the greenhouse and stood behind it. About twenty pairs of different-colored earmuffs were lying on the bench. When Harry, Daphne and Tracy had taken their places, the Professor began the lesson.

"We'll be re-potting Mandrakes today. Now, who can tell me the properties of the Mandrake?" Sprout asked the class. Harry's, along with half of the classes, hand went into the air.

"Yes, Mr. Potter." Sprout said nodding at Harry to answer.

""Mandrake, or Mandragora as it is known in some parts of the world, is the main ingredient in a powerful restorative potion," Harry began in a polite, respectful tone. "The Potion is used to return people who have been transfigured or cursed to their original state." He finished with a slight bow to show he had finished his explanation as he did every time he explained something to his professor's questions.

"Very well answered Mr. Potter, 15 points too Slytherin." said Professor Sprout. "The Mandrake forms an essential part of most antidotes. It is also, however, dangerous. Who can tell me why?"

"The cry of an adult Mandrake will kill you; however the cry of a baby mandrake will only knock you out for several hours." Harry answered once again.

"Brilliant, another 15 points too Slytherin." Beamed Professor Sprout. "Now, the Mandrakes we have here are still very young."

She pointed to a row of deep trays as she spoke, and everyone shuffled forward for a better look. A hundred or so tufty little plants, purplish green in colour, were growing there in rows. They

Looked quite unremarkable to Tracy, who didn't have the slightest idea what Harry meant by the "cry" of the Mandrake.

"Everyone take a pair of earmuffs," said Professor Sprout.

There was a scramble as everyone tried to seize a pair that wasn't pink and fluffy. Harry himself took a pair of pink ones just to see if anyone would dare to say anything to him about it. Everyone noticed but nobody dared say anything.

"When I tell you to put them on, make sure your ears are completely covered," said Professor Sprout. "When it is safe to remove them, I will give you the thumbs-up. Right - earmuffs on."

Harry snapped the earmuffs over his ears. They shut out sound completely. Professor Sprout also put a pink, fluffy pair over her own ears, rolled up the sleeves of her robes, grasped one of the tufty plants firmly, and pulled hard.

Daphne let out a gasp of surprise that no one could hear.

Instead of roots, a small, muddy, and extremely ugly baby popped out of the earth. The leaves were growing right out of his head. He had pale green, mottled skin, and was clearly bawling at the top of his lungs.

Professor Sprout took a large plant pot from under the table and plunged the Mandrake into it, burying him in dark, damp compost until only the tufted leaves were visible. Professor Sprout dusted off her hands, gave them all the thumbs-up, and removed her own earmuffs.

"As our Mandrakes are only seedlings, their cries won't kill yet," she said calmly as though she'd just done nothing more exciting than water a begonia. "However, they will knock you out for several hours, and as I'm sure none of you want to miss your first day back, make sure your earmuffs are securely in place while you work. I will attract your attention when it is time to pack up.

"Four to a tray - there is a large supply of pots here - compost in the sacks over there - and be careful of the Venomous Tentacula, its teething."

She gave a sharp slap to a spiky, dark red plant as she spoke, making it draw in the long feelers that had been inching sneakily over her shoulder.

Harry, Daphne and Tracy were joined at their tray by a curly-haired Hufflepuff boy Harry knew by sight but had never spoken too.

"Justin Finch-Fletchley," he said brightly, shaking Harry by the hand. "Know who you are, of course, the famous Harry Potter, top of every class we took last year, are you hoping for top of every class this year too?" he asked in polite yet excited voice.

"That is the goal yes." Harry replied with a nod before turning to introduce Daphne and Tracy. "This is Daphne Greengrass a very good friend of the family and this is Tracy Davis, my adopted sister."

"Pleasure to meet you both." Justin smiled as he shook their hands, unlike most students, Justin didn't seem to care that the three of them were Slytherin's.

"That Lockhart's something isn't he?" said Justin happily, as they began filling their plant pots with dragon dung compost. "Awfully brave chap. Have you read his books? I'd have died of fear if I'd been cornered in a telephone booth by a werewolf, but he stayed cool and - zap - just fantastic." Harry was about to say something sarky about Lockhart but Justin carried on talking before he got the chance

"My name was down for Eton, you know. I can't tell you how glad I am I came here instead. Of course, Mother was slightly disappointed, but since I made her read Lockhart's books I think she's begun to see how useful it'll be to have a fully trained wizard in the family..."

After that, they didn't have much chance to talk. Their earmuffs were back on and they needed to concentrate on the Mandrakes. Professor Sprout had made it look extremely easy, but it wasn't. The Mandrakes didn't like coming out of the earth, but didn't seem to want to go back into it either. They squirmed, kicked, flailed their sharp little fists, and gnashed their teeth; Harry spent ten whole minutes trying to squash a particularly fat one into a pot. In the end, he just punched the top of its head until it was back in the pot.

By the end of the class, Harry, like everyone else, was sweaty, aching, and covered in earth. Everyone traipsed back to the castle for a quick wash and then they hurried off to Transfiguration with the Gryffindors.

Professor McGonagall's classes were always hard work, for anyone not named Harry Potter, but today was especially difficult. Everything Tracy had learned last year seemed to have leaked out of her head during the summer. She was supposed to be turning a beetle into a button, but all she managed to do was give her beetle a lot of exercise as it scuttled over the desktop avoiding her wand.

Harry was sat back relaxing in his seat, 10 perfect black buttons on his desk. Tracy noticed that her brother was sat smirking at Ron Weasley, who was having even worse luck than she was. She noticed that Weasleys wand seemed to be spell-o-taped together and it kept crackling and sparking at odd moments, and every time Weasley tried to transfigure his beetle, it engulfed him in thick gray smoke that smelled of rotten eggs. Unable to see what he was doing, Weasley accidentally squashed his beetle with his elbow and had to ask for a new one. Professor McGonagall wasn't pleased.

This of course made Harry's smirk grow wider and when the redhead noticed Harry, smirking at him his face grew redder than his hair, which was quite the feat. Just to rub salt in the wound Harry held up one of his perfect buttons so Weasley could see, causing the redhead to begin bashing his wand against the table in anger, which lost him 10 points from Professor McGonagall, not something Gryffindor could afford seeing as how they were already minus 400 points as it were.

"Do you have to wind him up?" Tracy asked him as they were heading down to lunch. She tried to sound stern but the effect was lost due to her slight smile.

"I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about dear sister of mine." Harry smirked as Weasley and his two friends stormed passed them without saying anything, it seemed that Weasley had finally learned not to cross Harry Potter, though the three of them doubted it would be long before he put his foot in his mouth and got on Harry's bad side once again.

After they finished lunch, they went outside into the overcast courtyard. Harry sat down on a damp rock and took out _The Dark Arts, a beginner's guide_, volume 4. Daphne and Tracy stood discussing the upcoming Quidditch season, Pro league not the Hogwarts league. However, after a minute, Harry became aware that a pair of eyes were focused on him and his head snapped up and he saw the very small, mousy-haired boy he'd seen trying on the Sorting Hat last night staring at him as though transfixed. He was clutching what looked like an ordinary Muggle camera, and the moment Harry looked at him, he went bright red.

"All right, Harry? I'm - I'm Colin Creevey," he said breathlessly, taking a tentative step forward. "I'm in Gryffindor, D'you think - would it be all right if - can I have a picture?" he said, raising the camera hopefully.

"No." Replied Harry a hiss entering his voice.

"So I can prove I've met you," said Colin Creevey eagerly, ignoring Harry's answer of no and edging further forward. "I know all about you. Everyone's told me. About how you survived when You-Know-Who tried to kill you and how he disappeared and everything and how you've still got a lightning scar on your forehead" (his eyes raked Harry's hairline) "and a boy in my dormitory said if I develop the film in the right potion, the pictures'll move ." Colin drew a great shuddering breath of excitement and said, "It's amazing here, isn't it? I never knew all the odd stuff I could do was magic until I got the letter from Hogwarts. My dad's a milkman, he couldn't believe it either. So I'm taking loads of pictures to send home to him. And it'd be really good if I had one of you" - he looked imploringly at Harry - "maybe your friend could take it and I could stand next to you? And then, could you sign it?"

"Signed photos? You're giving out signed photos, Potter?"

Loud and scathing, Draco Malfoy's voice echoed around the courtyard. He had stopped right behind Colin, flanked, as he always was at Hogwarts, by his large and thuggish cronies, Crabbe and Goyle.

"Everyone line up!" Malfoy roared to the crowd. "Harry Potter's giving out signed…" WHAM. Harry's fist connected with his mouth knocking out his front teeth, busting his lip and dropping the blonde boy flat on his back. Crabbe and Goyle looked to be on the verge of jumping on Harry before he turned to glare at them and they suddenly remembered what happened the last time they had tangled with Harry. Half the courtyard had turned at Malfoy's shout and they cheered when Harry put him flat on his back in one shot.

"Look out." Tracy said in his ear pointing to his right, looking over, Harry spotted Lockhart making his way over.

"What's all this, what's all this?" Gilderoy Lockhart was striding toward them, his turquoise robes swirling behind him; he didn't pay Malfoy the slightest bit of attention. "Who's giving out signed photos?"

Harry started to speak but he was cut short as Lockhart flung an arm around his shoulders and thundered jovially, "Shouldn't have asked! We meet again, Harry, you got me with your little joke last time but this time I know without doubt that you are indeed Harry Potter." Lockhart said with a laugh and a wink as though he thought it was a game between himself and Harry.

"Come on then, Mr. Creevey," said Lockhart, beaming at Colin. "A double portrait can't do better than that, and we'll both sign it for you."

Colin fumbled for his camera but before he could take the picture, Harry spoke up.

"Lockhart, I give you 5 clear seconds to release me before I shove Malfoy's head so far up your ass that when he spits it's coming out of your mouth." Harry hissed his anger taking over. "1…2…" Lockhart suddenly released Harry and jumped away from him as though burned, it seemed that he was taking Harry very seriously as he stared fearfully at the 2nd year Slytherin.

Harry glared at both Lockhart and Creevey before storming off towards the castle, the crowd in front of him parting like the red-sea as he walked towards them, giving him free passage to the castle.

"I'm sorry sir but my brother hates being grabbed by strangers the way you just did, your very lucky he didn't break your arm." Tracy said explaining Harry's reaction with a sad shake of her head; she knew exactly why Harry hated being grabbed like that but she'd be dead before she told any of these people about her brothers' childhood.

"Come on we've got defence next, we best make sure Harry's calmed down or he might just murder the prat." Daphne said with a glare at Lockhart before she and Tracy began walking towards the castle at a brisk pace.

They reached Lockhart's classroom and found Harry sat at the very back of the class glaring at his desk with all his Lockhart books piled in front of him on his desk, most likely so he didn't have to look at the real Lockhart.

"Are you ok Harry?" Tracy asked as she and Daphne took seats on either side of Harry.

"I'll be fine." Harry replied in a somewhat calm tone, relaxing even further as Tracy began rubbing circles on his back hoping to calm her brother down quicker. Daphne kept quiet as Tracy whispered reassuringly in Harry's ear.

Five minutes later, Lockhart led the rest of the students into the classroom. Lockhart went to walk down the middle of the room, when he spotted Harry and decided to walk around the very edge of the class on the other of where Harry was sat.

When the whole class was seated, Lockhart cleared his throat loudly and silence fell. He reached forward, picked up Neville Longbottom's copy of Travels with Trolls, and held it up to show his own, winking portrait on the front.

"Me," he said, pointing at it and winking as well. "Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defence League, and five-time's winner of Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award but I don't talk about that. I didn't get rid of the Bandon Banshee by smiling at her!"

He waited for them to laugh; a few people smiled weakly.

"I see you've all bought a complete set of my books - well done. I thought we'd start today with a little quiz. Nothing to worry about - just to check how well you've read them, how much you've taken in-"

He began handing out test papers and when he got to Harry's table, he quickly gave them to Tracy before beating a hasty retreat from Harry's burning glare.

Harry looked down at his paper and read:

1. What is Gilderoy Lockhart s favourite colour?

2. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's secret ambition?

3. What, in your opinion, is Gilderoy Lockhart's greatest achievement to date?

On and on it went, over three sides of paper, right down to:

54. When is Gilderoy Lockhart's birthday, and what would his ideal gift be?

Harry looked over the test twice just to make sure he was really seeing what he thought he was seeing before he screwed up the paper and threw it to the front of the classroom with a disgusted scowl on his face, there was no force on this earth that would make him take that pathetic excuse for a test.

Lockhart saw what Harry had done with his test but very, very wisely kept his mouth shut on the subject.

Half an hour later, Lockhart collected the papers and rifled through them in front of the class.

"Tut, tut - hardly any of you remembered that my favourite colour is lilac. I say so in Year with the Yeti. And a few of you need to read Wanderings with Werewolves more carefully - I clearly state in chapter twelve that my ideal birthday gift would be harmony between all magic and non-magic peoples - though I wouldn't say no to a large bottle of Ogdeds Old Firewhiskey!"

He gave them another roguish wink. Tracy was now staring at Lockhart with an expression of disbelief on her face; Seamus Finnigan, Ron Weasley and Dean Thomas, who were sitting in front, were shaking with silent laughter. Hermione Granger, on the other hand, was listening to Lockhart with rapt attention and gave a start when he mentioned her name.

"... but Miss Hermione Granger knew my secret ambition is to rid the world of evil and market my own range of hair-care potions - good girl! In fact" - he flipped her paper over - "full marks! Where is Miss Hermione Granger?"

Hermione raised a trembling hand.

"Excellent!" beamed Lockhart. "Quite excellent! Take ten points for Gryffindor! And so - to business-"

He bent down behind his desk and lifted a large, covered cage onto it.

"Now - be warned! It is my job to arm you against the foulest creatures known to wizard kind! You may find yourselves facing your worst fears in this room. Know only that no harm can befall you whilst I am here. All I ask is that you remain calm."

In spite of himself, Harry leaned around his pile of books for a better look at the cage. Lockhart placed a hand on the cover. Dean, Ron and Seamus had stopped laughing now. Neville was cowering in his front row seat.

"I must ask you not to scream," said Lockhart in a low voice. "It might provoke them."

As the whole class held its breath, Lockhart whipped off the cover.

"Yes," he said dramatically. "Freshly caught Cornish pixies."

Seamus Finnigan couldn't control himself. He let out a snort of laughter that even Lockhart couldn't mistake for a scream of terror.

"Yes?" He smiled at Seamus.

"Well, they're not - they're not very - dangerous, are they?" Seamus choked.

"Don't be so sure!" said Lockhart, waggling a finger annoyingly at Seamus. "Devilish tricky little blighters they can be!"

The pixies were electric blue and about eight inches high, with pointed faces and voices so shrill it was like listening to many budgies arguing. The moment the cover had been removed, they had started jabbering and rocketing around, rattling the bars and making bizarre faces at the people nearest them.

"Right, then," Lockhart said loudly. "Let's see what you make of them!" And he opened the cage.

It was pandemonium. The pixies shot in every direction like rockets. Two of them seized Neville by the ears and lifted him into the air. Several shot straight through the window, showering the middle row with broken glass. The rest proceeded to wreck the classroom more effectively than a rampaging rhino; strangely, however they seemed to give Harry's table a wide birth as though they didn't want to get close to still fuming young wizard. Though none in the class could see it, the Aura around Harry just screamed dangerous and the tiny magical creatures could sense this and thus kept away. Within minutes, half the class was sheltering under desks and Neville was swinging from the iron chandelier in the ceiling.

"Come on now - round them up, round them up, they're only pixies," Lockhart shouted.

He rolled up his sleeves, brandished his wand, and bellowed, "Peskipiksi Pesternomi!"

It had absolutely no effect; one of the pixies seized his wand and threw it out of the window, too. Lockhart gulped and dived under his own desk, narrowly avoiding being squashed by Neville, who fell a second later as the chandelier gave way.

Harry gave a growl of annoyance before removing his wand and pointing it in the air, muttering under his breath, there was a sudden bright flash of magic and when the flash had faded everyone could see the pixies suspended and frozen in midair.

Harry glared at Lockhart one last time before he got up and left the classroom followed by Tracy and Daphne as the Professor and students began coming out from under their desks.

"Wow, he stopped thirty-odd pixies with one spell." Daphne heard Granger's awed voice seconds before she snapped the door shut.

_Two weeks later, a Saturday_

Harry was walking back to the Slytherin common room after his first lesson with Professor Flitwick, which turned out to be a review on just what Harry had mastered ahead of time. The tiny Professor had been very impressed, even clapping when Harry began showing he could do all the 3rd year Charms and Transfiguration spells, however he fell off his chair in shock when Harry produced a full corporal Patronus, in the shape of a stag. Harry had managed to master the spell over the summer wanting to master one of the most difficult Charms out there to impress the Charms master even more.

"Never in all my years have I seen a 2nd year mange so much as a vapour when attempting the Patronus Charm let alone a Corporal Patronus, simply amazing." Flitwick had whispered in awe as he stared from the silvery-white stag to Harry.

"Actually I mastered the spell at the end of last year." Harry had lied to his Professor as he could not very well tell the man that he practised magic over the summer, even if his wand didn't have the trace due to it once belonging to Phineas Nigellus Black, former Headmaster of Hogwarts.

"Simply amazing." Flitwick had replied with a beaming smile. "Harry my boy; I have a feeling that you will be more powerful than Albus Dumbledore himself before you reach your 7th year."

"_Perfect_." Harry had thought as he gave the tiny man a charming yet embarrassed smile that only _seemed_ genuine but was not of course.

Harry was pulled from his thoughts as he rounded a corner and laughing and jeering reached his ears. Looking down the corridor, Harry spotted a group of girls ranging from 3rd to 5th year standing in a circle and from what he could see pushing a small blonde girl around between them.

"Bullies." Harry hissed as he heard a faint crying that was undoubtedly coming from the small girl as the older girls pushed her around. He removed his wand in anger prepared to defend the poor girl when he saw that one of the girls was wearing a prefect's badge. Prefects were meant to prevent bulling not do the bullying; Hadrian James Potter saw red as he began unleashing his anger and spells upon the unsuspecting group. Thankfully, he had enough self-control not to kill any of the girls.

"_Diffindo_." His cutting curse connected with the back of one of the girls' knee dropping her screaming to the floor.

"_Expulso_." His next spell smashed into the back of another girl sending her crashing into her friends, which caused confusion throughout the group and therefore they did not see Harry walking towards them. Thankfully, the small blonde-haired girl who had been the victim of the group of girls had the foresight to drop to the floor out of the way of the incoming spells.

"_Incarcerous_." "_Stupefy_." The 1st spell wrapped the third girl in tight ropes before his stunning spells smashed into the back of her head dropping her stunned to the ground. After that, it was a matter of seconds before Harry had the group of bullies bound and stunned on the ground; within a minute one second year had taken out five students who were all at the least two years older than himself.

"Are you ok?" Harry asked as he reached the blonde girl still taking cover on the floor; he bent down and helped her to her feet. Upon looking at the girl close up her saw that she had straggly, waist-length, dirty-blonde hair, very pale eyebrows and protuberant eyes that gave her a permanently surprised look, she had chosen to wear a necklace of Butterbeer corks around her neck instead of a normal necklace.

Harry knew at once, why the girls had chosen to bully her, simply because she was different from everyone else in the school that Harry had met so far, which in no way shape or form gave them the right to bully her or anyone for that matter.

"Yes, I'm fine thank you." The girl replied dreamily as she began straightening her robes. "Luna Lovegood." She introduced herself with a dreamy smile when she had finished with her robes; she held her hand out to Harry obviously expecting him to shake hands.

"Harry Potter." Harry replied as he took Luna's hand and raising it too gently brush his lips against her knuckles.

"A pleasure to meet you Harry Potter." Luna said in her dreamy voice.

"And you Luna, where are your friends." He asked her as he looked down at the stunned group.

"I don't have any friends, everyone in Ravenclaw thinks I'm strange and avoid me or as you saw bully me." Luna replied in a dreamy matter-of-fact voice.

"Well in that case, how would you like to be friends with me?" Harry asked with a charming smile.

"Really? You want to be Friends? I've never had a friend before." Luna said in a normal none dreamy voice.

"Well you have a friend now Luna." Harry smiled at the smaller girl knowing exactly what it was like not having friends.

"Thank you Harry Potter." Luna said in a happy voice as she suddenly gave Harry a tight hug before letting go, blushing slightly.

"You're welcome Luna." Harry laughed, for some reason he felt a protectiveness about Luna that he only felt with Tracy and Daphne. "Now why don't you head to your common room until it's time for dinner and I will deal with these _people_?

"What are you going to do with them?" Luna asked in her dreamy voice though there was no concern in her voice for the group of girls.

"Oh nothing bad I assure you, just send a message to the whole of Hogwarts."

"Ok then." Luna then gave Harry another hug before skipping away.

Harry watched her go and once she was out of sight he pointed his wand at the group of girls levitating them into the air before he set of towards the great hall.

_One hour later_

The professors and students entered the great hall for dinner when they stopped dead in their tracks at the sight before them. Five huge 6foot tall crosses stood throughout the great hall, each holding a girl tied to them Crucifixion style.

"What in the world, who would do this." Professor McGonagall gasped in shocked horror.

Before anyone could respond a school owl came flying into the hall, dropping a folded piece of parchment at Dumbledore's feet. Picking up the parchment the Headmaster found the words.

"_Read my aloud to the great hall." _

Clearing his throat Dumbledore unfolded the parchment and quickly scanned the writing before he indeed began reading it too the hall.

"_Dear students and staff of Hogwarts,_

_What you see before you is but a warning,  
>the next time I find a group of students or anyone bullying<br>a 1__st__ year student or any student, then they will find themselves  
>on a one-way ticket to St. Mungo's permanent ward. Most especially<br>if the bully is a prefect who is appointed to prevent bullying not do the  
>bullying, as was the case with this group here.<em>

_Oh and Luna Lovegood is now under my protection anyone caught  
>bullying her or upsetting her in any way will find themselves in a<br>world of pain,_

_You have been warned. _

Dumbledore finished reading the note into the stunned silence as the students and professor's turned to look at Luna Lovegood who was smiling a happy smile, with a few tears leaking from her eyes.

"Miss. Lovegood have these students being bullying you?" Dumbledore asked the young blonde-haired girl in a kindly voice.

"Yes headmaster." Luna replied in her dreamy voice.

"Why did you not report it to a teacher or your head of house?" Dumbledore asked in that same kindly voice.

"Because I did not want to be a bother when the professor's have enough on their hands with dealing with classes and such." Luna answered honestly in her dreamy voice.

"Miss. Lovegood, every professor at this school will always have time for a student being bullied or in need of any kind of help." Dumbledore said in a gentle voice with a kind smile.

"I understand sir." Luna replied with a nod of her head.

"Do you know who saved you from this group of bullies?" Dumbledore asked after a moment's pause.

"Yes sir, but I will never tell, I will never break his trust or betray him." Her answer was more for Harry than anyone else in the hall, however it got the message across to all.

"Very well, I would never dream of asking anyone to break their friends trust." Dumbledore said with an understanding nod of his head

"Would you mind helping me get the girls down and to the hospital wing?" Dumbledore asked Snape and McGonagall.

"Of course Headmaster." The two replied almost in unison as they removed their wands and headed towards the girl nearest them.

Half an hour later and the girls and the crosses had been removed from the hall and the students were sat at their tables eating their dinner and chattering amongst themselves about what had happened and the warning given about Luna Lovegood been under someone's protection.

At the Ravenclaw table, Luna Lovegood had gone from the house oddball to the houses little princess as everyone wanted to make sure that her protector saw them treating her with the upmost respect.

"I know you'll never admit to it, but that was a very kind thing you did for that girl." Tracy whispered in Harry's ear.

Harry turned and winked at Tracy before he looked across the hall at Luna who met his eyes and mouthed a quick thank you before going back to her meal.

End of Chapter

_Well what did you think? Like it? Don't like it? Please drop me a review._

_**AN: I apologize for the long wait, however I recently moved into my own house and have been busy redecorating and sorting the place out. Plus my bloody internet supplier took over a week to get my internet sorted and get me back online. **_


	11. Quidditch and the First Attack

_I'm sorry that is has been such a long time since I updated this story, hopefully this makes up for the long wait and you can all forgive me the long wait._

**QUIDDITCH AND THE FIRST ATTACK**

"What's going on?" said Terence, frowning, as he skimmed through the air toward them. "Why's that first year taking pictures? I don't like it. He could be a Gryffindor spy, trying to find out about our new training program."

"The Gryffindor's don't need a spy." Spoke Bole with scowl as he pointed to the ground. "They're here in person." At this, everyone whipped their heads round to look at where Bole was pointing, and sure enough, the Gryffindor Quidditch team was making its way onto the pitch clad in their practice uniform.

"I don't believe it!" Higg's hissed in outrage. "I booked the field for today! We'll see about this!"

Terence shot toward the ground, landing rather harder than he meant to in his anger, staggering slightly as he dismounted. Peregrine Derrick and Lucian Bole, followed.

"_Higg's is going to blow his top." _Harry thought to himself with glee as he followed the Slytherin team down to the ground.

Flora and Hestia Carrow, the two new third year chasers followed him down onto the ground; Kevin Bletchley, Miles' younger brother had replaced his brother as the starting keeper after training with his brother for three years and being Slytherin's reserve keeper. Miles had his lifelong dream after graduating last year and had been signed to the Yorkshire Quidditch team on a five-year deal, the first year would see him training under their starting keeper who was retiring in a year.

"Wood." Higg's bellowed at the Gryffindor Captain. "This is our practice time! We got up specially! You can clear off now!"

Oliver Wood was even larger than Higg's. He had a look of trollish cunning on his face as he replied, "Plenty of room for all of us, Higg's."

"But I booked the field!" said Higg's, positively spitting with rage. "I booked it!"

"Ah," said Wood. "But I've got a specially signed note here from Professor McGonagall. I, Professor M. McGonagall, give the Gryffindor team permission to practice today on the Quidditch field owing to the need to train their new Seeker'. "

"You've got a new Seeker?" said Higg's, distracted. "Where?"

And from behind the six larger figures before them came a smaller boy, smirking all over his pale, pointed face. It was Draco Malfoy.

"Aren't you Lucius Malfoy's son?" said Hestia Carrow, looking at Malfoy with dislike. Her twin Flora just stood sneering at the small blonde boy.

"Funny you should mention Draco's father," said Angelina Johnston as the whole Gryffindor team smiled still more broadly. "Let me show you the generous gift he's made to the Gryffindor team."

All seven of them held out their broomsticks. Seven highly polished, brand-new handles and seven sets of fine gold lettering spelling the words Nimbus Two Thousand and One gleamed under Slytherin's noses in the early morning sun.

"Very latest model. Only came out last month," said Wood carelessly, flicking a speck of dust from the end of his own. "I believe it outstrips the old Two Thousand series by a considerable amount. As for the old Cleansweeps" - he smiled nastily at Flora and Hestia, who were both clutching Cleansweep Fives -" sweeps the board with them."

None of the Slytherin team could think of anything to say for a moment. Malfoy was smirking so broadly his cold eyes were reduced to slits.

"Oh, look," said one of the Weasley twins. "A field invasion."

Daphne and Tracy were crossing the grass to see what was going on.

"What's happening?" Daphne asked Harry. "Why aren't you playing? And what's he doing here?"

She was looking at Malfoy, taking in his Gryffindor Quidditch robes.

"I'm the new Slytherin Seeker, Greengrass," said Malfoy, smugly. "Everyone's just been admiring the brooms my father's bought our team.

Daphne and Tracy gaped, open-mouthed, at the seven superb broomsticks in front of them.

"Good, aren't they?" said Malfoy smoothly. "But perhaps the Slytherin team will be able to raise some gold and get new brooms, too. You could raffle off those Cleansweep Fives; I expect a museum would bid for them."

The Gryffindor team howled with laughter.

"At least no one on the Slytherin team had to buy their way in," said Daphne sharply. "They got in on pure talent."

The smug look on Malfoy's face flickered.

"No one asked your opinion, you filthy little Mudblood," he spat. Causing half the people there to gasp, even some of the Gryffindor team, though they quickly hid their shock.

"How dare you." Tracy shrieked in anger.

Bole plunged his hand into his robes, pulled out his wand, yelling, "You'll pay for that one, Malfoy!" and pointed it furiously under Wood's arm at Malfoy's face.

A loud bang echoed around the stadium and a jet of green light shot out of Bole's wand and streaked across the pitch but Wood was quicker and managed to block the spell with a shield.

"_Diffindo_." Wood roared firing a spell back at Bole who just as easily blocked it with a shield.

And just like that, the Quidditch pitch turned into a battlefield as the Slytherin and Gryffindor teams faced each other wands raised, nobody paid attention to Daphne and Tracy sprinting off the field to get help, they were hoping to find their head of house.

"_Confringo_." Harry whispered firing the blasting hex at one of the Weasley twins. The hex hit on target and blasted the twin off his across the ground breaking quite a few ribs and bruising his kidneys from his hard fall onto his back.

"_Incendio_." Malfoy's voice shouted and the next second a jet of flames were rushing at Harry, who quickly fired a jet of water at the flames extinguishing the flames and soaked Malfoy in the process.

"_Stupefy_." Harry's stunning spell was right on target and just like that, Malfoy was out of the _battle_.

Five minutes later and the entire Gryffindor team were knocked out and bound by ropes as the Slytherin team debated amongst themselves what they should do with the Gryffindor team, Peregrine Derrick and Lucian Bole were all for levitating them into the lake and letting them drowned. However, before the two beaters could really begin to argue that it was nothing less than the Gryffindor team deserved, Daphne and Tracy returned with Professor Snape.

"Explain," Snape demanded of his Quidditch captain. Higg's then began explaining how they had gotten up early on a Saturday in order to begin their Quidditch training.

"Yes, I clearly remember giving you all permission to begin Quidditch training a week earlier than the other three teams." Snape said before nodding for Higg's to continue with how this mess all started; once Higg's had, finished explaining everything that had occurred that morning Snape was seething with anger.

"So McGonagall thought she could undermine my authority as a teacher and give the Gryffindork's permission to practice today did she." Snape spat with rage as he removed his wand and woke the Gryffindor team.

"Professor Snape, the Slytherin's attac…" That was as far as Wood got.

"_Silence_, I don't want to hear a word from any of you." Snape snapped at the sixth year boy. "For your actions this morning Gryffindor will lose forty points…"

"That's not fair you greasy bat." One of the Weasley twins yelled in outrage.

"_**EACH**_." Snape growled in rage, he would have taking just the forty points and given them a week's detention if they Weasley twin had kept his mouth shut. "And detention every night for the next month." The Gryffindor team looked up at him shocked while the Slytherin team did their best to conceal their grins.

"Now get your common room and stay there until it's time for lunch." He growled as he released them from their bindings. Once the Gryffindor team had left the pitch, grumbling to themselves, Snape turned to his Quidditch players.

"30 points each for excellent teamwork in taking out your enemies quickly and effectively." He smirked as his Snakes gave a cheer of happiness. "Oh and thirty each to Miss's Greengrass and Davis for quick thinking to get an adult's help." And with that, Snape made his way back up to the castle as the Slytherin's restarted their training.

That morning the Slytherin team had their best ever practice; the Gryffindor's were completely out of running for the house cup, they had already been in negative points before the Quidditch incident thanks to Ron Weasley and Seamus Finnigan flying that car at the first day of the school year and now they had lost another 280 points. Meanwhile, with the 270 points that the Slytherin team, Daphne, and Tracy had just earned, Slytherin were well ahead in the running for the house cup, it was without a doubt Slytherin's cup once again for the 9th year running.

Two weeks later Harry had a surprise for the Slytherin team once again.

"Nimbus 2001's." Higg's grinned as Harry handed his teammates the seven highly polished, brand-new custom-made brooms.

"Custom-made at that." Harry grinned as he pointed out the silver lettering opposite the gold lettering spelling out Nimbus 2001.

"Hogwarts best keeper." Kevin Bletchley read aloud with a face-splitting grin.

"Superstar Seeker." Higg's laughed with appreciation as he clapped Harry on the back.

"Dynamo Beater." Peregrine Derrick and Lucian Bole read aloud with shit-eating grins

"Hogwarts hottest chasers." The Carrow twins read in unison with large grins before they both kissed Harry on each cheek, causing Harry to grin wider.

"And what does yours say?" Higgs asked with a grin.

"Prince of Slytherin." Harry laughed; the nickname that Marcus Flit had given him last year had stuck so Harry had decided to have that on his broom.

"And if you look closer at your brooms you will notice that they are done out in dark Slytherin green instead of the normal black." Harry pointed out with a grin.

"Brooms truly fit for the Slytherin kings of Quidditch." Kevin laughed Bole, Derrick and Higg's laughing with him.

"And Queen's." Hestia laughed shaking a finger at the keeper.

"Of course milady." Kevin laughed with a mock bow in front of the Twins.

"Rise minion." Mock sneered Flora raising her hand slightly.

"Ooh that tone of voice gets my blood pumping, TO MY LOINS! OH!" Kevin grinned at the twins wagging his eyebrows whilst the four other boys broke up laughing at their keepers antics, followed soon after by the other three players.

"So, what are we going to do with the nimbus 2000's that you bought last year?" Higg's asked Harry once they had all gotten their laughing under control.

"Well I was thinking we could give them to our reserve team." Harry answered with a smirk.

"We don't have a reserve team." Bole pointed out.

"Not yet we don't and neither do any of the other three teams." Harry began his smirk growing. "But we are going to recruit one and when we have practice we can do an hour of drills and tactics and then spend the rest of the time having mock matches, thus we get better at playing and so do the reserves." He finished his explanation with a full-blown smirk that was soon mirrored on the other six players' faces.

"Nice one Potter, I love how your mind works, even if the other houses get themselves a reserve team, none of the other reserves will be on Nimbus 2000's." Higg's laughed gleefully.

"Exactly, it's a win-win either way." Harry replied with a self-satisfied sigh.

Three days later and they had a full reserve team, surprisingly the reserve team was female dominated as Daphne, Tracy and Blaise Zabini became the second all girl chaser trio in the school and very surprisingly Pansy Parkinson became the reserve Seeker. Theodore Nott managed to secure himself as the reserve keeper happy with the knowledge that in his fourth year he would be the starting keeper until his 7th year. Gemma Farley a fifth year perfect and Sadie Baldock a third year roommate of the Carrow twins became the new beaters.

For the next month before the first Quidditch match of the year Harry kept ahead in his studies keeping his spot as the top student in his year and his model student persona firmly in place. Not a one person in the entire castle apart from Daphne and Tracy suspected that the well-mannered, helpful second year had a much darker side.

Harry attended his training with Master Flitwick for an hour each night. Some nights he learned advanced charms and some nights they had duels, Harry was always battered and bruised after the duels, never coming close to beating the small duelling champion but he was definitely improving.

The two Slytherin teams also got better and better the more they practiced, in fact now when they had a mock match it was hard to tell which team would win as the reserves were just as good as the starting team players. And the demon on a broom known as Harry Potter found it harder and harder to score against either keeper, which raised both keepers' spirits knowing that Harry was easily the best chaser at Hogwarts. Thus, it should be easy to stop the other team's chasers. Even more surprisingly, the Slytherin's had managed to keep it a secret that they had Nimbus 2001's and a reserve team from the rest of the school. Unsurprisingly the Slytherin's were feeling very confident about the Quidditch season. Not even their head of house, Snape, knew about the brooms and reserve team.

_Quidditch _

"On my whistle," said Madam Hooch. "Three... two... one..." and she blew on her whistle as she launched the Quaffle into the air as high as she could.

"THE QUAFFLE IS RELESED, THE PLAYERS ARE AIRBOURNE AND THE GAME IS ON." Lee Jordan roared into the microphone in pure excitement, knowing that this would be an exciting and close match with both teams flying on Nimbus 2001's.

"AND FLORA CARROW HAS THE QUAFFLE FOR SLYTHERIN AND SHE'S OFF UP THE PITCH LEAVING THE GRYFFINDOR'S CONFUSED. CLEALY THEY HAVE BEEN PREPARING FOR THE DEMON POTTER AS THEY HAD ALL SHOT AT HIM AS SOON AS THE GAME BEGAN."

The Gryffindor players couldn't believe that the top scorer from last year had not even attempted to grab the Quaffle. And as Flora scored the first goal of the match, putting Slytherin in front, Harry just sat on his broom smirking and waving at the Gryffindor players.

"Ha, the Gryffindor's all shot at Harry expecting him to have the Quaffle and left the field wide open." Pansy Parkinson laughed with glee as she sat in the Slytherin reserve hut down on the pitch. If one were to look at the Gryffindor hut, they would only see two reserve players.

"WOOD PASSES THE QUAFFLE TO KATIE AND THE GAME IS BACK ON, SLYTHERIN ARE LEADING BY TEN POINTS." Lee Jordan roared into the microphone.

"AND LOOK AT KATIE FLY SHE'S ALMOST AT THE SLYTHERIN GOALS, SHE SHOOTS, OH AND KEVIN BLECHLEY MAKES A SEPCTACULER SAVE AS HE THROWS THE QUAFFLE BACK INTO PLAY." The Gryffindor supporters groaned in unison.

"HESTIA CARROW HAS THE QUAFFLE, SHE DODGES A SPEEDING BLUDGER, PASSES THE WEASLEY BEATERS. OH BOY, HESTIA HAS PASSED TO POTTER, AND THE DEMON CHASER IS OFF LIKE A ROCKET. HE SCORES TEN POINTS TO SLYTHERIN." The Slytherin supporters were going wild in the stands as the Gryffindor supporters groaned in disappointment.

The Carrow twins managed to score another three goals apiece putting the score at 80-0 in Slytherin's favour. Harry meanwhile was terrorising Draco Malfoy. Every time the blonde-haired boy tried to search for the snitch, Harry would appear out of nowhere and shoot at him going full speed, missing crashing into the blonde boy by mere inches.

Within half an hour Slytherin where a hundred points ahead and Draco Malfoy was a nervous wreck, every time a green and silver clad player flew near him he would flinch violently and close his eyes waiting for the impact's that would never come.

"OOH THAT HAD TO HAVE HURT, SLYTHERIN CAPTIAN AND SEEKER, HIGG'S TOOK A NASTY BLUDGER TO THE BACK OF THE HEAD AND APPEARS TO BE UNCONSCIOUS." Higg's was in fact knocked out and had begun falling off his broom but luckily the Carrow twins had been near him and had managed to catch him and lower him to the floor as Hooch blew her whistle stopping the game.

Madam Pomfrey raced onto the pitch and began running her wand over Higg's.

"He has a concussion, there's no way he can continue playing." The healer announced moments later.

"Do you have another player to take his place or do you wish to forfeit." Hooch asked the Slytherin team.

"Pansy Parkinson is our reserve Seeker." Harry answered as he motioned Pansy over.

"Very well, play will resume in two minutes." Hooch informed them with a nod before getting back onto her broom and flying over to Lee Jordan so he could announce the change.

"What's going on Harry?" Pansy asked as she reached his side and watched as Madam Pomfrey left the pitch levitating Higg's.

"Higg's has a concussion and can't continue, so you have to take over from him." Harry explained as he picked up Higg's Nimbus 2001.

"Okay." Pansy replied with wide eyes and a nervous voice.

"You'll be fine Pansy, just take slow deep breathes until the whistle blows." Harry said as he patted the girl gently on the shoulder. "Here Higg's won't be needing this for the moment." He said as he handed Pansy the Nimbus 2001 wanting her and Draco to be evenly matched in brooms.

"Thanks, I hope I don't let the team down." Pansy said with a nervous smile.

"You won't let us down Pansy, even if you don't get the Snitch, as long as you do your best, that's all we ask of you and we won't think any less of you." Harry said as he mounted his broom flowed by Pansy before they both flew into the air.

"AND SECOND YEAR PANSY PARKINSON REPLACES HIGG'S AS THE SLYTHRIN SEEKER DUE TO HIGG'S BEEN INJURED THANKS TO A BLUDGER TO THE BACK OF THE HEAD." Lee Jordan announced into the microphone causing the Gryffindor supporters to begin laughing thinking that the Slytherin's were so desperate not to forfeit that they had just grabbed anyone to play as the seeker.

"HOOCH RELEASES THE QUAFFLE AND THE GAME IS BACK ON." Jordan yelled to roaring approval of the supporters. "POTTER GRABS THE QUAFFLE ONCE MORE ANNND HE'S OFF UP THE PITCH. HE DODGES THE WEASLEY TWINS AND THE THREE GRYFFINDOR CHASERS, HE SHOOTS LEFT, NO HE PASSED TO FLORA WHO SHOOTS RIGHT AND SCORES."

And that's how the game played out for the next fifteen minutes as Harry and the Carrow twins kept scoring on the Gryffindor keeper, Oliver Wood. Putting the score at 220-0 in favour of the Slytherin's. Until…

"WAS THAT THE SNITCH?" Jordan roared as he and the rest of the students rose from their seats to watch the two seekers race towards the tiny gold ball.

Pansy was in her element as she raced across the pitch, dodging players and bludger's as fast as she could, Malfoy was training behind her by mere feet.

"COME ON MALFOY GET THAT SNITCH." Lee Jordan roared in excitement. "NEVER THOUGHT I'D SAY THIS BUT COME ON DRACO YOU CAN DO IT LAD!"

However, as the Gryffindor's, Hufflepuff's and most of the Ravenclaw's cheered on Malfoy, the Slytherin Supporters began making themselves heard once more.

"LET'S GO PANSY." Clap, clap. "LET'S GO PANSY." Clap, clap. "LET'S GO PANSY."

Pansy grinned as she heard her housemates cheering her on. Moments later the Snitch shot skywards and Pansy followed it into an almost straight upwards race, followed by Draco who managed to pull neck and neck with her.

"GO ON GIRL." Harry roared at her as she passed him, Pansy's grin widened.

They were almost 200 feet above play as the Snitch finally levelled out, before shooting across the pitch, seconds later and the Snitch shot towards the ground in a spiralling dive, Pansy and Draco seconds behind it.

It was a most spectacular sight as the two Seekers preformed a spiralling dive, full speed towards the ground. Malfoy pulled out of the dive fifty feet above the ground but Pansy urged her broom to go faster. Moments later the Snitch levelled out and shot across the Pitch, Pansy right on its tail, her feet actually skimming the grass.

For the next two minutes, the Snitch led her all over the pitch weaving in and out of players and a one point round and round one of the Gryffindor goal posts as it flew higher and higher until…

"YEESSS." Pansy roared in victory as she finally grabbed the tiny gold ball in her hand and she pulled above the game her arm raised in victory.

"AND PANSY PARKINSON HAS GOT THE SNITCH, BY MERLIN WHAT A CHASE FOR THE SNITCH THAT GIRL JUST PREFORMED, THE REST OF THE HOGWARTS SEEKERS BEWARE PANSY PARKINSON SEEMS TO BE A BORN SEEKER." Jordan roared into the microphone he voice hoarse from shouting for the last two hours.

"I TOLD YOU THAT YOU WOULDN'T LET US DOWN" Harry roared grinning ear to ear as he crashed into Pansy giving the girl a bone crushing hug in his excitement, nothing got the adrenaline pumping like a game of Quidditch, even for a cold bloodied killer like Harry James Potter.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE I ACTUALLY CAUGHT THE SNITCH." Pansy screamed in joy as she hugged him back just as tightly.

"What do you expect with the chase you just gave?" Shouted Bole as he clapped Pansy on the back. "At one point I was convinced you were going to smashing into the ground."

"I don't know what came over me; I just gave into the rush of the chase." Pansy grinned widely. As the Carrow, twins hugged her tightly before the rest of the team moved in to show the girl their appreciation.

"SLYTHRIN MOVE INTO 1ST PLACE IN THE RACE FOR THE QUIDDITCH CUP BEATING THE GRYFFINDOR'S SOUNDLY, 400-0, I'M LEE JORDAN AND IT HAS BEEN MY PLEASURE TO ANNOUCE THIS GAME TO YOU ALL, UNTIL NEXT WEEKEND WHEN RAVENCLAW AND HUFFLEPUFF FACE OFF."

Three of the four houses began leaving the stadium as the Slytherin supporters joined their team on the pitch. Snape shook each of the player's hands congratulating them on the win before the rest of the Slytherin house members lifted the players onto their shoulders and began carrying them off the pitch and towards the castle. Even the reserve players who didn't even play were granted this honour. Snape was leading the way with a shit-eating grin on his face and as they passed McGonagall into the castle, Snape actually kissed his hand before mockingly waving at the Gryffindor head.

"Looks like the trophy will be mine for the 7th year in a row." Snape called over his shoulder as he led his snakes down into the dungeons.

Five minutes later and the Slytherin common room was jumping with noise as the celebration party began; Firewhiskey and Butterbeer was flowing and the Hogwarts house elves served the parting students food as no one wanted to go to the great hall for dinner. Even Snape stayed for a glass of Firewhiskey before leaving his snakes to party as he went to finish grading essays.

Higg's joined the celebration three hours into it and when he was informed of their win and Pansy catching the Snitch he gave the girl a hug before he shook Harry's hand thanking him as it had been Harry's idea to have a full reserve team trained up and it had paid off in spades.

However the most surprising thing to happen that day, in fact that year happened half an hour after Higg's had joined the celebration. Harry was stood talking to his roommate Theodore Nott when someone spun him round and he caught sight of Pansy Parkinson before her lips crashed against his and she began kissing him.

Harry was stunned for a moment as the rest of Slytherin house began wolf whistling. Harry soon got his wits about him and instead of pushing the girl away he began kissing her back as his arms came up to encircle her shoulders and Pansy wrapped her arms around his waist.

After they came up for air Harry and Pansy grinned at each other before grabbing drinks and going to a secluded corner to practice tongue wrestling some more.

_Halloween (two weeks later) _

Harry and Pansy had left the Halloween feast early and were talking a walk around the castle talking about their schoolwork and stealing the odd kiss as they turned a corner into the last, deserted passage on the second floor.

"How far are you into Flitwick's essay?" Harry asked his new girlfriend of two weeks. Even after two weeks, Harry couldn't believe he and Pansy were a couple.

But Pansy gave a sudden gasp, pointing down the corridor.

"Look!"

Something was shining on the wall ahead. They approached slowly, squinting through the darkness. Foot-high words had been daubed on the wall between two windows, shimmering in the light cast by the flaming torches.

**THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED.**

**ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE.**

"What's that thing - hanging underneath?" said Pansy, a slight quiver in her voice.

As they edged nearer, Harry almost slipped - there was a large puddle of water on the floor; Pansy grabbed him, and they inched toward the message, eyes fixed on a dark shadow beneath it. Both of them realized what it was at once, and leapt backward with a splash.

Mrs. Norris, the caretaker's cat, was hanging by her tail from the torch bracket. She was stiff as a board, her eyes wide and staring.

For a few seconds, they didn't move. Then Harry said, "Let's get out of here."

"Shouldn't we try and help -" Pansy began awkwardly.

"Trust me," said Harry. "We don't want to be found here."

But it was too late. A rumble, as though of distant thunder, told them that the feast had just ended. From either end of the corridor where they stood came the sound of hundreds of feet climbing the stairs, and the loud, happy talk of well-fed people; next moment, students were crashing into the passage from both ends.

The chatter, the bustle, the noise died suddenly as the people in front spotted the hanging cat. Harry and Pansy stood alone, in the middle of the corridor, as silence fell among the mass of students pressing forward to see the grisly sight.

Then someone shouted through the quiet.

"Enemies of the Heir, beware! You'll be next, Mudbloods!"

It was Draco Malfoy. He had pushed to the front of the crowd, his cold eyes alive, his usually bloodless face flushed, as he grinned at the sight of the hanging, immobile cat.

What's going on here? What's going on?"

Attracted no doubt by Malfoy's shout, Argus Filch came shouldering his way through the crowd. Then he saw Mrs. Norris and fell back, clutching his face in horror.

"My cat! My cat! What's happened to Mrs. Norris?" he shrieked.

And his popping eyes fell on Harry.

"You!" he screeched. "You! You've murdered my cat! You've killed her! I'll kill you! I'll-"

"Argus!"

Dumbledore had arrived on the scene, followed by a number of other teachers. In seconds, he had swept past Harry and Pansy and detached Mrs. Norris from the torch bracket.

"Come with me, Argus," he said to Filch. "You, too, Mr. Potter and Miss Parkinson."

Lockhart stepped forward eagerly.

"My office is nearest, Headmaster - just upstairs - please feel free-"

"Thank you, Gilderoy," said Dumbledore.

The silent crowd parted to let them pass. Lockhart, looking excited and important, hurried after Dumbledore; so did Professors McGonagall and Snape.

As they entered, Lockhart's darkened office there was a flurry of movement across the walls; Harry saw several of the Lockhart's in the pictures dodging out of sight, their hair in rollers. The real Lockhart lit the candles on his desk and stood back. Dumbledore lay Mrs. Norris on the polished surface and began to examine her. Harry and Pansy exchanged tense looks and sank into chairs outside the pool of candlelight, watching.

The tip of Dumbledore's long, crooked nose was barely an inch from Mrs. Norris's fur. He was looking at her closely through his half-moon spectacles, his long fingers gently prodding and poking. Professor McGonagall was bent almost as close, her eyes narrowed. Snape loomed behind them, half in shadow, wearing a most peculiar expression: It was as though he was trying hard not to smile. And Lockhart was hovering around all of them, making suggestions.

"It was definitely a curse that killed her - probably the Transmogrifian Torture - I've seen it used many times, so unlucky I wasn't there, I know the very counter curse that would have saved her..."

Lockhart's comments were punctuated by Filch's dry, racking sobs. He was slumped in a chair by the desk, unable to look at Mrs. Norris, his face in his hands. Much as he detested Filch, Harry couldn't help feeling a tiny little bit sorry for him, though not nearly as sorry as he felt for himself If Dumbledore believed Filch, he would be expelled for sure. Pansy too as an accomplice.

Dumbledore was now muttering strange words under his breath and tapping Mrs. Norris with his wand but nothing happened. She continued to look as though she had been recently stuffed.

"...I remember something very similar happening in Ouagadougou," said Lockhart, "a series of attacks, the full stories in my autobiography; I was able to provide the townsfolk with various amulets, which cleared the matter up at once..."

The photographs of Lockhart on the walls agreed all nodding, as he talked. One of them had forgotten to remove his hair net.

At last, Dumbledore straightened up.

"She's not dead, Argus," he said softly.

Lockhart stopped abruptly in the middle of counting the number of murders he had prevented.

"Not dead?" choked Filch, looking through his fingers at Mrs. Norris. "But why's she all - all stiff and frozen?"

"She has been Petrified," said Dumbledore ("Ah! I thought so!" said Lockhart). "But how, I cannot say..."

"Ask him!" shrieked Filch, turning his blotched and tearstained face to Harry.

"No second year could have done this," said Dumbledore firmly. "It would take Dark Magic of the most advanced-"

"He did it, he did it!" Filch spat, his pouchy face purpling. "You saw what he wrote on the wall!"

"I never touched Mrs. Norris!" Harry said loudly, uncomfortably aware of everyone looking at him, including all the Lockhart's on the walls.

"Rubbish!" snarled Filch.

"Then why were you both in that corridor before anybody else." McGonagall asked in a harsh voice.

"Because we decided to take a walk around the castle after the feast and talk." Harry replied in a growl as he glared at the Gryffindor head of house.

"That sounds very suspicious." McGonagall growled and glared right back at Harry.

"What taking a walk after a large meal, yeh very iffy." Harry spat with a sneer as his eyes darkened and his hand twitched as though he wanted to draw his wand and curse the professor where she stood. In fact, he did want to do just that.

"You wouldn't dare draw your wand on me." McGonagall shouted as she drew her own wand, she had seen Harry's hand twitch towards where she knew he kept his wand.

"HOW DARE YOU DRAW YOUR WAND ON MY STUDENT, WHEN HE HAS DONE NOTHING WRONG?" Snape roared in fury as he pulled out his own wand and pointed it at McGonagall.

"ENOUGH." Dumbledore bellowed as he glared at the two professors who were squaring up to each other. "Minerva, put away your wand and wait for me in my office, we shall discuss you drawing a wand on a student." He turned to Snape but the potions master had already put his wand away.

After McGonagall had left in a huff, Dumbledore turned to Harry and Pansy, he noticed that the girl seemed very tense with what had just transpired and was clutching Harry's arm for dear life as she cuddled into his side.

"You both may go back to your common room." Dumbledore informed them gently with a smile.

"What about what Potter did to my cat." Filch shouted pointing his bony finger at Harry.

"I do not believe Harry or Miss Parkinson had anything to do with what happened to Mrs. Norris." Dumbledore said in a gentle voice as he put a hand on Filch's shoulder.

""Innocent until proven guilty." Snape said as he began leading Harry and Pansy out of the room.

Filch looked furious.

"My cat has been Petrified!" he shrieked, his eyes popping. "I want to see some punishment!"

"We will be able to cure her, Argus," said Dumbledore patiently. "Professor Sprout recently managed to procure some Mandrakes. As soon as they have reached their full size, I will have a potion made that will revive Mrs. Norris."

"I'll make it," Lockhart butted in. "I must have done it a hundred times. I could whip up a Mandrake Restorative Draught in my sleep-"

"Excuse me," said Snape icily as he turned to glare at the DADA professor. "But I believe I am the Potions master at this school, I believe that I will make the Draught." And with that, he led Harry and Pansy out of the classroom and towards the common room in the dungeons.

End of Chapter.

_So how was it? Like it? Don't like it? Please leave a review. _


	12. Attacks

_AN: I apologise for the very long delay, but my girlfriend and I have just recently welcomed a new addition to the family and I have been too busy with work and looking after my new daughter and have only just now found the time and energy to sit down and restart this story. I thank everyone who has left a review or favourite/followed this story._

**ATTACKS**

The school could talk of little else but the attack on Mrs. Norris. Filch kept it fresh in everyone's minds by pacing the spot where she had been attacked, as though he thought the attacker might come back. Harry had seen him scrubbing the message on the wall with Mrs. Skower's All-Purpose Magical Mess Remover, but to no effect; the words still gleamed as brightly as ever on the stone. When Filch wasn't guarding the scene of the crime, he was skulking red- eyed through the corridors, lunging out at unsuspecting students and trying to put them in detention for things like "breathing loudly' and "looking happy."

Harry, Daphne and Tracy were walking to charms from lunch when they heard Dumbledore's voice booming throughout the castle.

"ALL STUDENTS ARE TO RETURN TO THEIR COMMON ROOMS." The Headmasters voice informed them, stopping students in their tracks as they looked around for the source of the voice, but Dumbledore was nowhere to be seen.

"ALL TEACHERS ARE TO REPORT TO THE SIXTH FLOOR CORRIDOR IMMEDIATELY." For a moment, there was silence in the halls before the students began chattering amongst themselves as they headed towards their common rooms.

"Sounds like there has been another attack." Harry said to the girls as they made their way down into the dungeons with the other Slytherin's.

"Sounds like it." Daphne agreed a frown on her face as she looked around them.

"Well at least the other houses will stop looking at you in suspicion." Tracy said to Harry who nodded in agreement. Ever since the attack on Mrs. Norris last week the other three houses had been looking at Harry with suspicion and some fear, clearly they all thought that Harry had petrified the cat.

In-fact Ron Weasley had openly declared the attack as Harry's beginning rise to be the next Dark Lord, his fear off Harry seemed to have vanished over night as he began sprouting about the next Dark Lord Potter.

As they entered the common room along with the other students, they failed to notice the absence of Pansy Parkinson who they had not seen for over an hour just as lunch was starting.

After an hour of the students standing around or in some cases sitting around, the wall to the common room slid open, Professor Snape stepped inside, his normally pale face even paler, and he had a grim look on his face.

"There has been a double attack." Snape began grimly as he stood before the silent students. "Mr. Collin Creevey and Ms. Hermione Granger were found on the sixth floor by Professor McGonagall and have been taken to the hospital wing." He finished explaining in a tired sounding voice.

"What has happened to them?" Bole asked his head of house, he like everyone else had a feeling that the double attack was just like the one on Filch's cat last week.

"They have been petrified." Snape answered confirming most people's suspicions.

"What happens now?" Kevin asked from beside Bole.

"For today the rest off lessons have been cancelled and dinner will be served in the common rooms while the headmaster and us professor's search the school for the culprit." Snape explained quietly though he privately thought that the culprit would be long gone and hidden by now.

"Nobody is to leave the common room until tomorrow morning and if I find out that anyone has ignored my order they will find themselves in detention with me every night until they graduate." Snape informed them all with a hard edge to his voice and glare on his face. He may not want to put one of his Slytherin's in detention for the rest of their Hogwarts career but he would if they disobeyed his order. He was only looking out for his snakes after all.

"We understand Professor Snape." Higg's informed his head of house as he looked around the students. "I'll make sure they do not disobey your order." He too glared at the students not wanting any of them to come to any harm.

"Thank you Mr Higg's." Snape said with a nod before he bid them all goodnight before turning around and exiting the common room leaving the students talk amongst themselves once more.

"Well since there are no more classes for the rest of the day, I think I'm going to begin reading on Occlumency." Harry told Daphne and Tracy as he began heading towards the stairs leading up to the boy's dorms.

"Ok see you in a bit." Tracy said before turning to talk to Daphne about the attack. She knew that unless the person or persons attacked Harry or any of his friends then her brother would not care about the attacks.

_The most basic form of Occlumency, involves clearing one's mind — making it "blank and empty" — in order to prevent a Legilimens from perceiving one's emotions and thoughts. More advanced Occlumency involves suppressing only the thoughts, emotions, and memories that would contradict whatever it is an Occlumens wishes a Legilimens to believe; hence, it is not obvious that Occlumency is being used even if the person is lying. It requires a great deal of will power, as with resisting the Imperius Curse, as well as a high degree of mental and emotional discipline. It is also one method of resisting the influence of Veritaserum._

"_However, a master of Occlumency is able to erect shields around his or her mind making it almost impossible for a Legilimens to gain entry into their mind and thus protecting their every emotion and thought. However, someone with a stronger will power will be able to break down these shields and read your thoughts to their content as their forceful breaking of your shields will leave you completely defenceless due to the massive headache after your shields are broken." _

As he finished reading, the introduction to the book Harry could immediately see why Professor Flitwick would want him to obtain and master this skill.

He turned the page to begin the first chapter.

The Human Brain

_**"The mind is not a book, to be opened at will and examined at leisure. Thoughts are not etched on the inside of skulls, to be perused by any invader. The mind is a complex and many-layered thing... It is true, however, that those who have mastered Legilimency are able, under certain conditions, to delve into the minds of their victims and to interpret their findings correctly."**_

_Memories are peculiar because they do not exist in the same way that your limbs or organs do. Unlike an office or a library, we do not have tiny filing cabinets filled with individual folders where bits of information are stored. Instead, we have complex pathways or neurons that fire messages back and forth, that extend throughout the entire brain. What seems to be a single memory is actually a complex composite of different areas of the brain being activated, thus together recalling the memory and creating a cohesive thought. The connections between neurons are not permanent, and are in fact continuously evolving. When you learn something new, you are creating pathways new between neurons, which will allow you to access the information at a later point in time. The more signals that are sent between the neurons, the stronger the connection will grow. These connections are reinforced with use, meaning that the more often you access certain pathways, the easier it will be to remember the information. By the same token, if a pathway is seldom accessed, it will slowly degrade in order to allow other pathways to be created, which will result in a greater difficulty to access and remember that memory. _

_Different types of memories are stored differently – sensorial memory, short term and long-term memory. Neurobiologists believe however that they are all accessed and recalled in the same way. When recalling a memory, you are retrieving the information on an unconscious level and bringing it into your conscious mind. Again, the stronger the pathways between the neurons, the easier it will be to recall that memory._

By this point Harry was completely engrossed in his book and therefore completely missed Theo entering their dorm and retrieving his homework for that week before once more leaving the dorm and Harry to his reading.

_Now that we have a decent idea of how memory works, we can better appreciate how Occlumency might help protect someone against invasion of the mind. Occlumency is a form of suppression of memories, thus making it difficult for someone to access them. _

Before Harry knew it, hours had passed without his notice as he remained completely engrossed in his book, and he would have missed dinner down in the common room unless Theo had not come to inform him that it was time to eat.

Up in the headmaster's office Dumbledore was talking to his two most trusted Order of the Phoenix members, Alastor "Mad-eye" Moody and Professor Severus Snape.

"Have we any ideas of whom or what is attacking the Students?" Moody asked the two Professor's in his growling voice as he took a swig from his flask.

Moody looked as though his face was roughly carved from wood. Due to injuries from his long career as an Auror, it was covered with scars, and a chunk of his nose was missing. He had dark grey, grizzled hair. He also had a wooden leg.

His eyes, however, were his most shocking feature: one was small and dark while the other was a vivid, electric blue magical eye and moved around independently from his normal eye, giving him the nickname of "Mad-Eye Moody". This eye could see through objects, Invisibility cloaks and the back of his own head

"Oh I know very well who is attacking the students but I just cannot figure out how he is doing it as the last I heard from my sources he was hiding in an Albanian forest, without a body." Dumbledore explained to the grizzled old Auror.

"You mean the Dark Lord is behind the attacks?" Moody asked with a growl and scowl on his face.

"Yes but since he does not have a body I cannot figure out how he is doing it." The frustration he was feeling was all too clear in the Headmasters' voice as he stood from his chair behind his desk and began pacing as he usually did when trying to solve a mystery.

"Are we 100% sure he does not have a body?" Moody asked as he took another swig from his flask.

"Yes otherwise this would not be pale gray but completely black if he had a body." Snape answered Moody as he rolled up his left sleeve to show the ex Auror the very pale gray Dark Mark.

Moody grunted in agreement, as he glanced at the Dark Mark. Moody was well known for being overly cautious and paranoid about his security and everyone who knew him knew that he trusted very few people completely. In-fact he only trusted Dumbledore, Arthur Weasley and Snape completely and he only trusted that Snape really was on the light side and spying on Voldemort because the man had sworn an unbreakable vow to him about his loyalty.

"So we know who is doing it but not how he is doing it." Moody began as he looked between the two men. "Do we know if he is using a spell or a dark creature to attack the students?"

"I do not know any spell that would render the victim petrified the way that they are." Dumbledore answered as he continued to pace. "The only spell that springs to mind is the petrification spell but that turns the victim to stone and clearly none of the victims have been turned to stone." He finished his explanation still pacing behind his desk.

"I would suggest a Basilisk but those monsters kill instantly with a single glance of the eyes." Snape spoke quietly as he looked at the two men.

Suddenly Dumbledore stopped his pacing as he caught sight of his own refection in the window.

"But what if they did not look the Basilisk in the eyes or at least not directly?" Dumbledore asked his voice barely above a whisper as he continued to stare at his reflection.

"You mean if they only looked in the reflection of the Basilisk's eyes and not directly into its eyes, then they would be petrified?" Moody asked as he moved to join Dumbledore in looking at their reflection in the window.

"It is a plausible explanation at to how the students are in the state that they are in and not dead if it is a Basilisk attacking them." Snape agreed as he joined the other two men at the window.

"Now all we have to do is find out where it is it hides when not attacking and how it moves around the school without notice." Dumbledore said softly to the nodded agreement of the two men behind him.

Two months later

With just under 10 days until Christmas the students and staff while clearly nervous about the attacks tried their hardest too forget about them and enjoy a nice normal Christmas. Since Dumbledore, Snape and Moody had come to an agreement about the Dark Lord being behind the attacks using a Basilisk, the three where no nearer in finding out how the Dark Lord was doing it or any nearer in capturing/killing the monstrous snake.

As the students and staff up at the school tried to carry on as normal out on the ground in the gamekeepers hut Hagrid was finding it very hard to carry on as normal.

He hardly seemed to know what he was doing as he went about making himself a cup of tea. He nearly extinguished the fire, spilling water from the kettle on it, and then smashed the teapot with a nervous jerk of his massive hand. He kept glancing nervously at the windows. He poured a large mug of boiling water (he had forgotten to add tea bags) and was just putting a slab of fruitcake on a plate when there was a loud knock on the door.

Hagrid dropped the fruitcake and seized his crossbow, and flung open his door.

"Good evening, Hagrid." It was Dumbledore. He entered, looking deadly serious, and was followed by a second, very odd-looking man. The stranger had rumpled gray hair and an anxious expression, and was wearing a strange mixture of clothes: pinstriped suit, a scarlet tie, a long black cloak, and pointed purple boots. Under his arm, he carried a lime-green bowler. This man's name was Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic.

Hagrid had gone pale and sweaty. He dropped into one of his chairs and looked from Dumbledore to Cornelius Fudge.

"Bad business, Hagrid." said Fudge in rather clipped tones. "Very bad business, Had to come, eight attacks on Muggleborn's, Things have gone far enough, and Ministry's got to act."

"I never," said Hagrid, looking imploringly at Dumbledore. "You know I never, Professor Dumbledore, sir –"

"I want it understood, Cornelius, that Hagrid has my full confidence," said Dumbledore, frowning at Fudge.

"Look, Albus," said Fudge, uncomfortably. "Hagrid's record's against him. Ministry's got to do something - the school governors have been in touch –"

"Yet again, Cornelius, I tell you that taking Hagrid away will not help in the slightest," said Dumbledore. His blue eyes were full of a fire very rarely seen in the grandfatherly old Headmaster.

"Look at it from my point of view," said Fudge, fidgeting with his bowler. "I'm under a lot of pressure, got to be seen to be doing something. If it turns out it was not Hagrid, he will be back and no more said. However, I have to take him. Wouldn't be doing my duty."

"Take me?" said Hagrid, who was trembling. "Take me where?"

"For a short stretch only," said Fudge, not meeting Hagrid's eyes. "Not a punishment, Hagrid, more a precaution. If someone else is caught, you will be let out with a full apology –"

"Not Azkaban?" croaked Hagrid.

Before Fudge could answer, there was another loud rap on the door. Dumbledore answered it. Mr. Lucius Malfoy strode into Hagrid's hut, swathed in a long black travelling cloak, smiling a cold and satisfied smile. Fang started to growl.

"Already here, Fudge," he said approvingly. "Good, good…"

"What're you doin' here?" said Hagrid furiously. "Get outta my house!"

"My dear man, please believe me, I have no pleasure at all in being inside your - er - d'you call this a house?" said Lucius Malfoy, sneering as he looked around the small cabin. "I simply called at the school and was told that the Headmaster was here."

"And what exactly did you want with me, Lucius?" said Dumbledore. He spoke politely, but the fire was still blazing in his blue eyes.

"Dreadful thing, Dumbledore," said Malfoy lazily, taking out a long roll of parchment, "but the governors and I feel it's time for you to step aside. This is an Order of Suspension - you will find all twelve signatures on it. I am afraid we feel you are losing your touch. How many attacks have there been now? Two more this afternoon, wasn't it? At this rate, there'll be no Muggleborn's left at Hogwarts, and we all know what an awful loss that would be to the school."

"Oh, now, see here, Lucius," said Fudge, looking alarmed, "Dumbledore suspended - no, no - last thing we want just now –"

"The appointment - or suspension - of the Headmaster is a matter for the governors, Fudge," said Mr. Malfoy smoothly. "And as Dumbledore has failed to stop these attacks –"

"See here, Malfoy, if Dumbledore can't stop them," said Fudge, whose upper lip was sweating now, "I mean to say, who can?"

"That remains to be seen," said Mr. Malfoy with a nasty smile. "But as all twelve of us have voted –"

Hagrid leapt to his feet, his shaggy black head grazing the ceiling. "An' how many did yeh have ter threaten an' blackmail before they agreed, Malfoy, eh?" he roared.

"Dear, dear, you know, that temper of yours will lead you into trouble one of these days, Hagrid," said Mr. Malfoy. "I would advise you not to shout at the Azkaban guards like that. They won't like it at all."

"Yeh can' take Dumbledore!" yelled Hagrid, making Fang the boarhound cower and whimper in his basket. "Take him away, an' the Muggleborn's won' stand a chance! You mark my words there'll be killin's next!"

"You think so." Malfoy replied in a smooth voice with an undercurrent of hope that Hagrid was right and Muggleborn's would be killed.

"Calm yourself, Hagrid," said Dumbledore sharply. He looked at Lucius Malfoy.

"If the governors want my removal, Lucius, I shall of course step aside –"

"But –" stuttered Fudge.

"No!" Growled Hagrid.

Dumbledore had not taken his bright blue eyes off Lucius Malfoy's cold gray ones.

"However," said Dumbledore, speaking very slowly and clearly so that none of them could miss a word. "You will find that I will only truly have left this school when none here are loyal to me. You will also find that help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it."

"Admirable sentiments," said Malfoy, bowing. "We shall all miss your-er-highly individual way of running things, Albus, and only hope that your successor will manage to prevent any-ah-"killin's."

He strode to the cabin door, opened it and bowed Dumbledore out. Fudge, fiddling with his bowler, waited for Hagrid to go ahead of him.

"All right, I'm comin," said Hagrid, pulling on his moleskin overcoat and following Fudge out the door.

The following morning when the rest of the school learned of Dumbledore's removal as Headmaster the staff and students fear seemed to increase tenfold. They like Hagrid believed that without Dumbledore there would be an attack a day.

McGonagall as acting head was very reluctantly talking with the other professor's about shutting the school and sending the students home until the culprit had been caught and thrown into Azkaban prison.

Only Snape knew that one did not simply catch the Dark Lord, though of course he could not tell this to the other professor's as he was under orders from Dumbledore not too.

The only person at Hogwarts who was not scared about the attacks other than Harry, was Draco Malfoy who was seen swaggering through the halls as though he owned the place and on many occasions had been heard bragging about his father been the one to remove Dumbledore from the school.

"I always thought Father might be the one who got rid of Dumbledore," he said, not troubling to keep his voice down. "I told you he thinks Dumbledore's the worst Headmaster the schools ever had. Maybe we will get a decent Headmaster now. Someone who will not want the Chamber of Secrets closed. McGonagall won't last long; she's only filling in..."

"Ooh, he is really getting on my nerves." Tracy snarled as they once again heard Malfoy bragging as he swaggered past them.

"Same here, can't you knock him down a few pegs Harry?" Daphne asked him pleadingly causing Harry to smirk.

"Why when for once he's leaving me alone and all I have to put up with is Weasel calling me the next Dark Lord." Harry replied as he dropped into his seat in-between Tracy and Daphne in the charms classroom. He completely ignored Pansy Parkinson who had entered behind them and gave him a sad look; he and Pansy had broken up after just two weeks of being together as he could not stand her gossiping about other students or going on and on about the latest Witch Weekly Magazine or the latest fashion.

"But maybe you're both right; maybe I could knock the ponce back into place and put Weasel back in his." Harry said quietly as the Professor entered the room and took roll.

"Now then class, today we will be learning about the Hair-Thickening Charm." Flitwick began in his squeaky voice. Harry who had already mastered the 2nd and 3rd year's charms would be learning a fourth year charm, The Summoning Charm.

"Now the wand movement is thus." However before Flitwick could show them they once again heard a voice booming throughout the school.

"ALL STUDENTS ARE TO RETURN TO THEIR COMMON ROOMS, ALL PROFESSORS TO THE STAFF ROOM IMMEDIATELY." This time Snape's voice was booming throughout the school.

The students began to pack their things back into their bags, they all knew that this was another attack and they had to get to the safety of their common rooms. Flitwick watched as his 2nd years exited the classroom before he followed them and quickly made his way to the staffroom.

"What's happened, whose been attacked." He asked panting slightly after running up two flights of stairs. The staffroom was packed with every professor at Hogwarts, even Professor Trelawney had come down from her tower.

"I'm afraid it's much worse than that Filius, a student has been snatched and taken into the chamber itself." Snape explained to the gathered staff grimly.

"Oh my goodness, do we know who was snatched?" Asked a pale and aghast McGonagall as she slid bonelessly into a seat.

"No not at this moment we don't." Snape replied shaking his head. "All we know is what was written on the wall next to the original warning."

"What was written?" Sprout asked as she took a seat next to McGonagall and tried to offer her friend some small measure of comfort.

"Her skeleton will lie in the chamber forever." Snape said softly to the gasps of everyone there.

Elsewhere in the castle, Harry found himself separated from the rest of his house in the hustle and bustle of the students trying too quickly get to their common rooms. As he turned a corner, he found that he was completely alone and he could not hear any other students nearby.

As he was debating with himself on which was the quickest route to the dungeons he heard a voice call him from behind.

"Harry Potter." A soft feminine voice called from behind him. As he turned around, he saw a flash of red and felt a spell impact his chest before the blackness claimed him and he knew no more.

End of chapter.

Like it? Don't like it? Please review.

_And yes, I know some of this chapter has been taken from the original story but I hope I was able to put my own twist on it also._

_Also I know that I have moved this year very fast but as my Harry does not care about the attacker I decided I would move it on as he would not have to spend most of the year trying to figure out who it was or wait for the Pollyjuice potion to brew._


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